Prevalence of hospital malnutrition in Argentina: preliminary results of a population-based study

We investigated the prevalence of malnutrition in a sample of hospitalized patients in Argentina.

A random population-based sample of 1000 inpatients in 38 hospitals in 17 cities of Argentina was selected and studied with the Subjective Global Assessment (physical examination plus questionnaire).

Forty-seven percent of the participants were identified as having some degree of malnourishment, one-fourth of which was considered severe. Older males, especially those with cancer or infections, were at highest risk. Nutritional information was incorporated into the patients' charts in only 38.8% of cases, and fewer than 15% had records of usual or current weight and height.

This study suggested that malnutrition among hospital inpatients in Argentina is common and that the patients' nutrition status is largely unrecognized and neglected in their hospital charts.