Abstract

According to worldwide studies, the prevalence of malnutrition among hospitalized patients has been reported to be about 15% to 60%. Hospital malnutrition is related to a high incidence of morbidity and mortality. It is often associated with impaired immunity, a high risk of infectious complications, delayed wound healing after surgery. Complications caused by hospital malnutrition consequently increase the length of hospital stay and total medical costs. It also affects the cost of rehabilitation and other individual and social health care costs. The prevalence of hospital malnutrition has encouraged nutritional support teams to become an integral part of the health care system to improve patient outcome. Collaboration between doctors, dieticians, pharmacists, and nurses specialized in nutrition are therefore vital to this initiative. (Intest Res 2013;11:238-242)

• Keywords: Hospital malnutrition; Nutritional support team; Sarcopenia; Cachexia