50% of elderly people are malnourished when hospitalized
One in two older adults is malnourished when admitted to hospital; proper nutrition reduces the risk of death by 50% in people with heart and lung disease within 90 days of discharge.
According to Clinical Nutrition, nThe new Nourish study was conducted at 78 hospitals and medical facilities in the US over two years. The results,One in two elderly people is malnourished when admitted to hospital.Many people do not know they are malnourished because they are normal weight, or even overweight, but have little muscle or lean mass.Loss of muscle, strength and energy can worsen the condition in malnourished patients and those with health problems, such as heart disease or pneumonia.
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About 50% of elderly people are malnourished when hospitalized. Illustration photo: telegraph. |
According toprofessorAlfonso Cruz-Fentoft, many peopleunderestimate the importance of nutrition in recovery from illness. This is an undeniable key factor.Malnutrition impairs health, increases the rate of complications, re-hospitalization and death in patients.
Research also shows that proper nutritional supplementation contributes toreduced mortality by 50% in older patients with heart and lung disease within 90 days of discharge from the hospital, according to experts.We need to change the paradigm and see nutrition as part of health care, similar to flu shots or aspirin. This will help support older adults who already have or are at risk of malnutrition and other chronic diseases.
According to VNE
