Hospital Malnutrition, a Call for Political Action: A Public Health and NutritionDay Perspective

Hiesmayr M, Tarantino S, Moick S, Laviano A, Sulz I, Mouhieddine M, Schuh C, Volkert D, Simon J, Schindler K (2019)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2019

Journal

Journal of Clinical Medicine MDPI

Book Volume: 8

Journal Issue: 12

DOI: 10.3390/jcm8122048

Abstract

Disease-related malnutrition (DRM) is prevalent in hospitals and is associated with increased care needs, prolonged hospital stay, delayed rehabilitation and death. Nutrition care process related activities such as screening, assessment and treatment has been advocated by scientific societies and patient organizations but implementation is variable. We analysed the cross-sectional nutritionDay database for prevalence of nutrition risk factors, care processes and outcome for medical, surgical, long-term care and other patients (n = 153,470). In 59,126 medical patients included between 2006 and 2015 the prevalence of recent weight loss (45%), history of decreased eating (48%) and low actual eating (53%) was more prevalent than low BMI (8%). Each of these risk factors was associated with a large increase in 30 days hospital mortality. A similar pattern is found in all four patient groups. Nutrition care processes increase slightly with the presence of risk factors but are never done in more than 50% of the patients. Only a third of patients not eating in hospital receive oral nutritional supplements or artificial nutrition. We suggest that political action should be taken to raise awareness and formal education on all aspects related to DRM for all stakeholders, to create and support responsibilities within hospitals, and to create adequate reimbursement schemes. Collection of routine and benchmarking data is crucial to tackle DRM.

Authors with CRIS profile

Dorothee Volkert Professur für Klinische Ernährung im Alter

Involved external institutions

Medizinische Universität Wien AT Austria (AT) Università degli studi "La Sapienza" IT Italy (IT)

How to cite

APA:

Hiesmayr, M., Tarantino, S., Moick, S., Laviano, A., Sulz, I., Mouhieddine, M.,... Schindler, K. (2019). Hospital Malnutrition, a Call for Political Action: A Public Health and NutritionDay Perspective. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 8(12). https://dx.doi.org/10.3390/jcm8122048

MLA:

Hiesmayr, Michael, et al. "Hospital Malnutrition, a Call for Political Action: A Public Health and NutritionDay Perspective." Journal of Clinical Medicine 8.12 (2019).

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