@article{ijcn2017513,
author={{Bucay, Ariel Jasqui and Machiavelo, Mariana Arroyo and Alvarez-Altamirano, Karolina and Alarc¨Žn, Andrea and Ripoll, Fernanda and Fuchs-Tarlovsky, Vanessa},
title={Hospital Malnutrition: Food Services Need to be Improved in Mexico},
journal={International Journal of Clinical Nutrition},
volume={5},
number={1},
pages={13--17},
year={2017},
url={http://pubs.sciepub.com/ijcn/5/1/3},
issn={2376-1393},
abstract={<b>Background: </b>Hospital malnutrition is a global complex, multi-factorial problem, mainly due to lack of appropriate awareness. Hospital malnutrition negatively impacts patient's recovery and increases hospitalization cost. <b>Materials and methods:</b> We assessed hospitalized patients during the first 24-48 hours. Nutritional risk screening (NRS 2002) was applied; anthropometric and dietary parameters were evaluated. Objective: 1) To assess nutritional status and risk of malnutrition in patients admitted to a Mexican public hospital. 2) To determine the frequency of patients who did not meet their energy and protein needs. <b>Results: </b>We evaluated a total of 568 patients. Risk of malnutrition was present in 3.6% of patients at admission while 84% of them were at risk of malnutrition after prolonged hospitalization. A BMI&lt;20 Kg/m<SUP>2</SUP> was observed in 7.4% of the patients, whereas 49.5% were classified and obese or overweight. Weight loss >10% was seen in 32.9% of the patients. Food intake showed that in average hospital patients consumed 50% of their caloric requirements and 39% of protein requirements; only 42% of the patients had a food intake between 70-100%. <b>Conclusions:</b> Hospital malnutrition is a complex issue with both personal and institutional etiological factors. Healthcare institutions must improve awareness and training of personnel and the quality of hospital nutrition/food service to improve the addressing of hospital malnutrition.},
doi={10.12691/ijcn-5-1-3}
publisher={Science and Education Publishing}
}