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.