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Determining the prevalence of malnutrition in hospitalized paediatric patients

L V Marino1, E Goddard, L Workman

  • 1Department of Dietetics, Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital, Rondebosch, Cape Town, South Africa. lmarino@pgwc.gov.za

South African Medical Journal = Suid-Afrikaanse Tydskrif Vir Geneeskunde
|November 2, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Malnutrition affects 34% of hospitalized children, with 14% overweight, exceeding national averages. A nutrition risk-screening tool is recommended for better patient care and discharge planning.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Nutrition
  • Hospital Malnutrition
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Malnutrition is a significant concern in hospitalized children.
  • Assessing nutritional status is crucial for effective patient management.
  • Previous data on malnutrition prevalence in this specific hospital setting is limited.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the prevalence of malnutrition in hospitalized pediatric patients.
  • To identify the proportion of underweight and overweight children.
  • To inform the development of targeted nutrition interventions.

Main Methods:

  • A 1-day cross-sectional survey was conducted.
  • Data collected from medical, surgical wards, and specialist outpatient clinics.
  • 227 pediatric patients participated in the study.

Main Results:

  • Overall undernutrition prevalence was 34%.
  • 14% of children were overweight or obese, exceeding the national average.
  • HIV prevalence was 18% among participants.

Conclusions:

  • The study highlights a significant burden of both undernutrition and overweight/obesity in hospitalized children.
  • A nutrition risk-screening tool is recommended to identify at-risk patients.
  • Developing and implementing a nutrition care plan is essential for improving outcomes.
Abstract

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