Prevalence of malnutrition on admission to four hospitals in England

Aims: The primary objective was to estimate prevalence of malnutrition on a dmission to four hospitals. Secondary objectives included assessing the rel ationship between nutritional status and length of hospital stay, numbers o f new prescriptions, new infections and disease severity. Methods: We entered eligible patients according to predefined quotas for el ective and emergency admissions to 23 specialities. We measured height, wei ght, Body Mass Index and anthropometrics, and recorded history of unintenti onal weight loss. Patients who had lost greater than or equal to 10% of the ir body weight, had a Body Mass Index <20, or had a Body Mass Index <20 wit h one anthropometric measurement <15th centile were considered malnourished . Results: Of 1611 eligible patients, 761 did not participate; 269 were too i ll; 256 could not be weighed; and 236 refused consent. Eight hundred and fi fty were subsequently evaluated. Prevalence of malnutrition on admission wa s 20%. Length of stay, new prescriptions and infections and disease severit y were significantly higher in the malnourished. Conclusions: One patient in every five admitted to hospital is malnourished . Although this figure is unacceptably high, it may underestimate true prev alence. Malnutrition was associated with increased length of stay, new pres criptions and infections. Malnutrition may also have contributed to disease severity. (C) 2000 Harcourt Publishers Ltd.