Background
In 1977 poor nutritional status and malnutrition was already detected in surgical patients. Still, disease related malnutrition is a much underrated public health issue and has also become an enormous economical concern. It is estimated that over 50 million Europeans are at risk. A study performed in the UK in 2005 estimated the cost of malnutrition to the UK to be € 10.6 b per year, double the projected € 5.1 b cost of obesity. Two population groups are at particularly high risk: hospitalized patients and residents of nursing homes.
Disease related malnutrition can be responsible for prolonged length of hospital stay, morbidity and premature mortality in hospitalized patients. Research has shown that approximately 31% of all hospitalized patients can be considered malnourished or at nutritional risk.
Previous nutritionDay studies have shown that malnutrition is a major health concern which still gets too little attention in hospitals and nursing homes. Malnutrition, as it has been shown in many studies, increases infection rates, affects the patient’s wound healing, leads to cardiac complications and also prolongs hospital stay.
Read more about this topic: Nutrition Day
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