Malnutrition widespread in elderly patients
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by DPS
A study of 102 elderly Australians admitted to Sydney’s Prince of Wales Hospital last year revealed almost 80% were malnourished or at great risk of malnutrition based on a review of their weight, food intake and overall health. This significantly reduces their chance of recovering from an illness or accident.
The study found that patients who received help from a dietitian halved their length of stay in hospital. “The results were startling,” said lead researcher Terry Bolin, Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of NSW.
He said a lack of access to quality food, difficulty in cooking and eating, a lack of appetite and poor absorption of food associated with ageing might all be responsible for the high rate of malnutrition.
