Nutritional assessment | Nutritional assessment. [commentary]
1980
Wright, Richard A.
Since a patient's nutritional status may affect the outcome of his disease, nutritional evaluation as a primary therapeutic practice or adjunct to therapy is recommended for all hospitalized patients. It is known that malnutrition decreases immunocompetence whereas nutritional repletion may improve wound healing, yet an increasing number of hospitalized patients are malnourished. Therefore, although the precise role of nutrition therapy in disease has yet to be defined, therapeutic nutrition may benefit many patients. Several physical and biochemical parameters are useful in assessment of a patient's degree of malnutrition, weight, weight loss, body fat, lean body mass or protein reserve. Nutritional therapy also depends on knowing the protein and caloric needs of each patient. Nutritional evaluation of all patients should become a part of hospital routine.
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