Friday, October 24, 2014
How Malnutrition Affects Disease
Most people tend to think that an individual can’t be malnourished if they are eating three meals a day. On the contrary, malnutrition can refer to both under nutrition and over nutrition and is often overlooked by the general population as a contributing factor to poor health.
Individuals are malnourished if their diet does not provide them with the adequate calories and protein for maintenance and growth, or their body cannot benefit from the food they eat due to illness. People are also malnourished, or suffer from over nutrition if they consume too many calories. Various health conditions may also develop depending on which nutrients are lacking in an individual’s diet or what is consumed in excess.
According to Statistics Canada, while a conservative estimate of 15% of Canadians aged 65 years and older are diagnosed as malnourished, malnutrition can occur in all age groups and can stem from a number of causes related to physical and mental illness, chronic eating disorders, social isolation, poor living arrangements, low income, poor food choices and others.
Malnutrition can play a major role in the health outcome of hospitalized patients as well as those living with, or at risk for a variety of diseases and illnesses and can lead to a number of symptoms. Some of those symptoms and risk factors could include swallowing difficulties, the inability to complete daily living tasks, frailty, loss of muscle mass, breathing problems, longer healing times for wounds and infections, confusion and depression. Other less apparent risk factors for malnutrition include the use of multiple medications, social isolation, poor dental health, poor diet and those who have recently been discharged from hospital.
“Recognizing the symptoms and risk factors as soon as possible and consulting a Registered Dietitian or Dietitian Assistant are key to the prevention and treatment of malnutrition,” said Registered Dietitian Courtney Bodnar from the Pembroke Regional Hospital.
In order to assess their risk for malnutrition at Pembroke Regional Hospital, admitted patients and those receiving treatment on an outpatient basis are given the opportunity to receive nutritional counselling from a Registered Dietitian.
Ms. Bodnar said that early assessment often leads to improved diet and eating habits which can ultimately improve the outcome and prevent long-term consequences from chronic malnutrition. Given the prevalence of malnutrition within our own communities, early detection and treatment is key to improved quality of life. To access more information on nutritional counselling call the Vascular Health Program at 1-855-293-7838.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Carolyn Levesque, Public Affairs and Communications Coordinator
Pembroke Regional Hospital
(613) 732-3675 ext. 6165 / carolyn.levesque@pemreghos.org
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