Nutrition in the older hospital patient

The importance of nutrition in the treatment of the older hospital patient has often been underestimated. This may be because of a failure to recognize the special nutritional problems of this age group. It is important to recognize that the older patient is more likely to be admitted to hospital suffering some degree of malnutrition and the nutritional consequences of the metabolic response to trauma may be more severe in this group. More attention needs to be placed on nutritional requirements and nutrient provision during rehabilitation. Adverse nutritional consequences of illness may be prolonged in the older subject and an extended period of nutritional supplementation may be required to produce benefit. It should be emphasized that adverse clinical consequences of nutritional deficit, and advantages of nutritional support, may not be evident in the short term. Long term follow up of nutritionally disadvantaged patients, and patients who have received specialized forms of nutritional support, will be required if the true contribution of nutrition to clinical outcome is to be evaluated.