When it comes to nutrition, most people think about the problem of eating more than the body’s needs, leading to overweight issues, and may forget that our country also has a problem with “malnutrition.” The group of patients who are malnourished might be close to us, and we often forget that they urgently need medical care regarding nutritional therapy. Phyathai 3 Hospital has a Nutrition and Obesity Therapy Center to specifically care for malnourished patients.
Ah, you want to know, right? … who these groups are and why proper nutritional care is important.
Comprehensive Care for Malnourished Patients
The Nutrition Therapy Center provides care for malnourished patients in all cases. What we find from patients receiving care is that most malnourished patients have similar problems. These patients often have diseases such as cancer, gastrointestinal system problems, patients who require tubes in various parts of the body, who receive food through feeding tubes, and patients who cannot help themselves and need bed care, such as patients with ischemic, hemorrhagic, or occlusive stroke.
What Are the Benefits of Proper Nutritional Care?
For patients with malnutrition problems, receiving good and complete nutritional care helps improve their quality of life, reduces factors from other comorbidities that may occur, and most importantly, benefits the treatment of various diseases the patients have, such as:
- Cancer patients who need surgery, if properly cared for nutritionally, will be better prepared for surgery and recover faster after surgery. Even terminal cancer patients, if given proper nutritional adjustment, can live approximately 30% longer, which is certainly a great benefit for the patients and their families.
- Patients who must eat through feeding tubes cannot tell if they are getting enough food or if the nutrients are complete. Being under the care of the Nutrition Therapy Center’s medical team ensures patients receive adequate and complete nutrition.
- Patients who cannot help themselves and require bed care, when receiving complete and adequate nutrition, will have appropriate weight, increased muscle mass, or better skin condition—not thin and dry to the point of skin tightly covering bones causing pressure ulcers as before nutritional care. Their body functions improve, immunity against infections increases, reducing infections such as pneumonia and urinary tract infections. Muscle development and physical recovery improve during physical therapy, reducing hospital admissions and improving quality of life.
Nutritional Status Screening Form
| Item | Yes | No |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Has the patient unintentionally lost weight in the past 6 months? | ||
| 2. Has the patient eaten less than usual (for more than 7 days)? | ||
| 3. Is the BMI < 18.5 or > 25.0 kg/m²? | ||
| 4. Does the patient have critical or semi-critical illness? |
(Source: Thai Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition)
If more than 2 items are answered “Yes,” the patient is considered at risk of malnutrition or undernutrition and should be assessed and cared for by a nutrition therapy team.
Guidelines for Considering Malnutrition and Care
To plan nutritional care for each patient, doctors conduct detailed screening in every case, such as weight history, body mass index, height, medical history, genetic history, dietary habits, etc., to assess malnutrition status and perform additional tests as needed.
After gathering detailed patient information from history taking and examinations, nutritional care is designed individually. Besides the appropriate nutrients, for patients who need feeding tube nutrition, doctors will also recommend the suitable feeding route to ensure nutrients enter the body with maximum efficiency.
Moreover, the Nutrition Therapy Center not only provides nutritional care for patients with malnutrition but is also ready to consult and advise patients and families who want knowledge about nutrition for patients receiving feeding tube nutrition to ensure correct understanding. Every care process includes close monitoring and evaluation to ensure that every case receiving care from the center is properly and systematically managed to the highest standard.
Dr. Benjaporn Nantasanti
Chief Physician of the Weight Control and Nutrition Therapy Team
Weight Control and Nutrition Therapy Center
Phyathai 3 Hospital
