[Hospital undernutrition: how not to ignore it any more?]

Abstract

About 1/5 of patients are undernourished in Swiss hospitals. Despite of a high morbidity and mortality associated with this pathology, nearly 1/3 of them do not receive an appropriate nutritional support which can be even indicated at an obese patient. This paper approaches the key points of early nutritional care. NRS-2002 is presented like a simple tool able to identify patients nutritionally at-risk who are likely to benefit from nutritional support. Moreover, the major role of a diet adapted to the specific needs of the patient points out the need for an institutional policy coordinated around diet-nutrition.