Nutritional status in hospital inpatients: implications for nutritional support services

In a population of 473 inpatients, a profile of nutritional status from obesity to marasmic-kwashiokor was observed. Thirty-two per cent of the population were overweight or obese (n = 153), forty-five per cent were of normal weight (n = 211), 8% were at risk of protein-energy malnutrition (n = 39), and 15% (n = 70) had grades of protein-energy malnutrition from marasmus to marasmic-kwashiokor. The implications for improved nutritional support services for hospitalised patients are discussed.