Identification and Prevention of Malnutrition in Hospitals: Review and Call to Action!

Abstract

In-hospital malnutrition in hospitalized adults is a morbid, costly and potentially preventable and treatable problem. Although known to cause many serious hospital complications, malnutrition is often missed during hospitalization and is rarely diagnosed if it occurs during hospitalization. Many routine clinical practices, such as withholding nutritional intake for testing or failing to address inadequate intake, result in rapid deterioration of nutritional status in up to 70% of hospitalized patients when added to an acute inflammatory disease state. Malnutrition during hospitalization is associated with increased mortality in the years after discharge. In addition, unrecognized (and undercoded) malnutrition is associated with potential revenue loss for hospital systems. Low-cost interventions that identify high-risk patients and provide adequate nutrition have the potential to improve patient outcomes and reduce healthcare costs. Physicians should support the implementation of these interventions under the direction of national organizations.