Malnutrition is widespread in both developed and emerging nations, withup to 78 percent of hospital inpatients in Vietnam suffering frompoor nutrition or malnutrition, the former head of Cho Ray hospital'snutrition department has said.
Speaking at a recent meetingwith local and foreign experts held in HCM City , Dr. Nguyen HuuToan said that malnutrition could affect anyone at anytime.
"When talking about malnutrition, people think it just happens tochildren. For some, it comes from not eating enough or not eating theright nutrients," he said, adding that it could also be caused bydigestive problems.
Undernourished patients take longer torecover from illness, injury and surgery, increasing costs of care andleading to higher mortality rates, he added.
Organised by Abbot and health experts, the meeting was held to brief local media on malnutrition issues in the country.
It aimed to provide right understanding on the issue and decrease theprevalence of malnutrition through calling-to-action for cliniciansaround the world, including Vietnam , to screen, intervene andsupervene with in-hospital nutrition tracking and post-dischargenutrition planning.
A recent study of nutritional practicesfound that 60 percent of hospitalised patients were not screened formalnutrition or risk. "Some patients who enter the hospital aremalnourished. Some will get malnourished during their stay. It affectstheir recovery because they don't have enough energy, protein ormicro-nutrients to fight against illness and injury," Toan said.
"Most healthcare providers concentrate on treatment and tend to ignore a nutrition regimen to improve health," he added.
Dr Li Fei of Abbott Nutrition Research and Development saidmalnutrition could happen to anyone, especially those who have anunderlying health issue and inadequate dietary intake. The risk ishigher if they are over the age of 50, or are overweight or obese.
Nutrition management, particularly oral nutrition supplements, hasbeen shown to be a cost-effective way to improve status and clinicaloutcomes.
Potential nutrition intervention strategies includedietary counseling, modification of diet and food fortification, enteraltube feeding and parenteral nutrition.
Dr. Ravinder Reddy, asurgeon at India 's Care Hospital , said up to 50 percent ofhospitalised patients worldwide were malnourished.
Giving oralnutrition supplements upon hospital admission helps lessen the adverseeffects of malnutrition and enhances patient response to treatment andrecovery.
At the meeting, he introduced the FeedM.E. GlobalStudy Group, which works with healthcare systems and communities to helpbring about global change on a local level.-VNA
Speaking at a recent meetingwith local and foreign experts held in HCM City , Dr. Nguyen HuuToan said that malnutrition could affect anyone at anytime.
"When talking about malnutrition, people think it just happens tochildren. For some, it comes from not eating enough or not eating theright nutrients," he said, adding that it could also be caused bydigestive problems.
Undernourished patients take longer torecover from illness, injury and surgery, increasing costs of care andleading to higher mortality rates, he added.
Organised by Abbot and health experts, the meeting was held to brief local media on malnutrition issues in the country.
It aimed to provide right understanding on the issue and decrease theprevalence of malnutrition through calling-to-action for cliniciansaround the world, including Vietnam , to screen, intervene andsupervene with in-hospital nutrition tracking and post-dischargenutrition planning.
A recent study of nutritional practicesfound that 60 percent of hospitalised patients were not screened formalnutrition or risk. "Some patients who enter the hospital aremalnourished. Some will get malnourished during their stay. It affectstheir recovery because they don't have enough energy, protein ormicro-nutrients to fight against illness and injury," Toan said.
"Most healthcare providers concentrate on treatment and tend to ignore a nutrition regimen to improve health," he added.
Dr Li Fei of Abbott Nutrition Research and Development saidmalnutrition could happen to anyone, especially those who have anunderlying health issue and inadequate dietary intake. The risk ishigher if they are over the age of 50, or are overweight or obese.
Nutrition management, particularly oral nutrition supplements, hasbeen shown to be a cost-effective way to improve status and clinicaloutcomes.
Potential nutrition intervention strategies includedietary counseling, modification of diet and food fortification, enteraltube feeding and parenteral nutrition.
Dr. Ravinder Reddy, asurgeon at India 's Care Hospital , said up to 50 percent ofhospitalised patients worldwide were malnourished.
Giving oralnutrition supplements upon hospital admission helps lessen the adverseeffects of malnutrition and enhances patient response to treatment andrecovery.
At the meeting, he introduced the FeedM.E. GlobalStudy Group, which works with healthcare systems and communities to helpbring about global change on a local level.-VNA
