Undernutrition risk, overweight/obesity, and nutritional care in relation to undernutrition risk among inpatients in southwestern Saudi Arabia : a hospital-based point prevalence study

• Background: Undernutrition is a problem in institutional care, where 20–46% of all inpatients are classified as being “at nutritional risk”. This study explores the prevalence of undernutrition risk and overweight/obesity and the targeting of nutritional care in relation to undernutrition risk among inpatients in southwestern Saudi Arabia. Methods: A cross-sectional, point prevalence study was carried out in a Central hospital in southwestern Saudi Arabia. The subjects were inpatients, over the age of 18 who had their nutritional status assessed. Moderate/high undernutrition risk was defined as the occurrence of at least two of: weight loss, low BMI, and/or eating difficulties. Overweight/obesity was graded by using Caucasian and Asian cut-offs for BMI. Results: Out of 219 patients 166 (76%) agreed to participate (106 men and 60 women) with a significantly higher drop-out among women (n=35, 37% vs. men n=18, 14%). There was no significant difference in the prevalence of moderate/high undernutrition risk between men and women (40% vs. 38%) but more women (29% or 40%, depending on cut-off) than men (10% or 23%) were obese. Among patients at moderate/high undernutrition risk, more women (61%) than men (31%) were served small portions. Conclusions: There is a need to increase awareness about nutrition among nurses, to implement nutritional guidelines and to do more research regarding overweight/obesity among the female population. Motivational strategie  need to be developed to focus on increasing the Saudi female participation in research.

Keyword

Nutrition

eating

MEONF

MEOF

Saudi Arabia

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)