{"id":2400,"date":"2023-01-05T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-01-05T05:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mdbc2.wpenginepowered.com\/blog\/how-to-reduce-the-impact-of-malnutrition-in-your-patients\/"},"modified":"2023-01-05T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2023-01-05T05:00:00","slug":"how-to-reduce-the-impact-of-malnutrition-in-your-patients","status":"publish","type":"blog","link":"https:\/\/www.mdbriefcase.com\/fr\/blog\/how-to-reduce-the-impact-of-malnutrition-in-your-patients\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Reduce the Impact of Malnutrition in Your Patients"},"content":{"rendered":"

Despite the association of poor nutritional status with increased morbidity and mortality in a wide range of medical conditions, malnutrition is not well understood. Malnutrition is not<\/strong> based exclusively on the patient\u2019s body mass index (BMI). In fact, there is a high prevalence of malnutrition in older adults with excess weight and obesity.\u00a0 Malnutrition is defined as a state resulting from lack of intake or uptake of nutrition that leads to altered body composition (decreased fat free mass) and body cell mass leading to diminished physical and mental function as well as impaired clinical outcomes from disease.<\/p>\n

It is estimated that 8.9 percent<\/a> of the world\u2019s population\u2014663 million people\u2014are undernourished. Don\u2019t make the mistake of thinking that malnutrition is solely a problem of the developing world. Malnutrition affects 33 million<\/a> people in Europe alone, and it is not uncommon in Canada and the United States either.\u00a0 In 2020, undernourishment in Canada was reported at 2.5 percent<\/a> of the population, and in 2021, 10.2 percent<\/a> of US households were food insecure at some point during the year. While not as severe as malnutrition, undernourishment is defined as habitual food consumption that is insufficient to provide the dietary energy levels required to maintain a normal level of activity and a healthy life.<\/p>\n

Approximately one-third of Canadian community-dwelling older adults are at nutritional risk, and up to 10 percent<\/a> of community-dwelling older adults have been identified as malnourished. These statistics could even be an underestimate due to the infrequency of nutritional assessments in this patient population.<\/p>\n

In a multicentre study published in 2016, the prevalence of malnutrition on admission to Canadian hospitals was 45 percent<\/a> in medical and surgical patients who stayed in hospital for longer than two days. Patients who are malnourished have hospital stays that are 34 to 53 percent<\/a> longer and cost the healthcare system 31 to 55 percent<\/a> more than patients who are well nourished.<\/p>\n

Primary care clinicians can help to identify patients early in the course of malnutrition and make adjustments to reduce the impact it has on their health and wellbeing. A recent review of 26 randomized<\/a> clinical trials concluded that primary care referrals of patients who are at risk for malnutrition for nutritional assessment and intervention are effective in improving patients\u2019 dietary intake and quality.<\/p>\n

Are You Prepared?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

How prepared are you to identify the risk for malnutrition in your patients? Can you answer these three questions correctly?<\/p>\n

1)<\/strong> Which of the following is a risk factor for malnutrition?<\/p>\n