Up to a quarter of all patients treated in hospital are malnourished.
It can lead to death – but is treated with simple means.
– It is serious. Compared to the ideal situation, there is a lot left to do, says Tommy Cederholm, professor of clinical nutrition at Uppsala University.
In Sweden, up to one in two elderly and sick patients staying in hospitals or nursing homes is malnourished. This is shown by a new survey from the University of Gothenburg.
– It is serious, the problem is that it is not noticed and treated, says Tommy Cederholm, professor emeritus in clinical nutrition at Uppsala University.
Researchers: “Unacceptable”
And it is not necessarily a lack of care that contributes to underweight. Rather, it is rooted in ignorance.
– It is a little shameful that perhaps patients in one’s hospital or even a nursing home would be malnourished, but it is rooted in a misconception. Malnutrition is not primarily an expression of poor care or poverty, but an expression of an underlying disease that causes you to lose weight, says Tommy Cederholm.
Ignorance and stigma, he believes, means that few are diagnosed and therefore do not receive the treatment that is needed.
– Now that you know how to fix the problem with the right treatment, it becomes more unacceptable that you don’t focus on this, says Tommy Cederholm.
Most basic
Malnutrition has serious consequences for the individual. It creates unnecessary suffering, lower quality of life and death.
With it there are simple actions. Counseling and treatment in collaboration with dietitians can slow down weight loss and reduce mortality.
– It is not a difficult diagnosis to make. It’s not an expensive treatment and really, it’s the most basic thing we should do to ensure that people have the right diet and nutrition, says Tommy Cederholm.
The researchers propose concrete measures to reduce the suffering of the elderly.
– Make sure that the food offered is of high quality and that, when necessary, provide energy and protein-rich dietary supplements, for example with nutritional drinks, says Tommy Cederholm.