Prevalence of risk factors for malnutrition in Latin American hospitalized patients: a nutritionDay analysis 2016-2020

Abstract

Hospital malnutrition is a complex international health issue described to be associated with worse patient outcomes and increased healthcare costs(1). A large proportion of patients is already found malnourished at the time of hospital admission, others develop malnutrition while in hospital, often as a complication associated with the disease. Malnutrition screening is crucial for identifying vulnerable patients who are nutritionally at risk already on admission, presenting well-known risk factors such as poor appetite, low food intake, history of unintentional weight loss or low body mass index (BMI).

Keywords

• nutritionDay
• hospital
• malnutrition
• risk factors
• international audit
• latin america