Identification of malnutrition risk factors in hospitalized patients.

Objective: To identify factors associated with the risk of malnutrition in hospitalized patients.

Methods: Cross-sectional study, performed in a general hospital located in São Paulo, in a convenience sample of 300 adult individuals, aged 18 to 64 years. A structured questionnaire was applied consisting of anthropometric, clinical and dietary data, and the patients were evaluated and dichotomized into malnourished and non-malnourished. A multiple logistic regression was performed to identify the factors associated with malnutrition. The variables were organized according to the values of odds ratio (OR), confidence interval (95% CI), regression coefficient (β) and descriptive level of significance (p).

Results: The malnutrition occurred in 60.7% and the variables associated with malnutrition were: recent and involuntary weight loss, apparent bony structure, decreased appetite, diarrhea, inadequate energy intake and male sex.

Conclusion: The factors associated with malnutrition can be identified at hospital admission and lead to a nutritional evaluation that will allow adequate intervention and nutritional therapy.