ABSTRACT
Five hundreds and sixty-one patients hospitalized in Siriraj Hospital during the period from August – December 1988 were evaluated for their nutritional status. There were 349 surgical patients and 212 medical patients; 332 female and 229 males. Based on anthropometric parameters, the status of protein calorie-malnutrition was found to be 33.4% by weight-height, 33.9% by sum skinfold thickness, 28.1% by proportion of baby fat, and 9.7% by mid-arm muscle circumference. Abnormal caloric status was more prevalent than their protein status. Obesity was detected in 41.1, 40 and 11.1%, and overnutrition 7.5, 11.9 and 13.2%, according to sum skinfold thickness, proportion of body fat and weight-height, respectively. There were 35.4, 3.8 and 12.2% patients who had haemoglobin, serum protein and albumin levels below the occeptable range. The present study in this group of patients disclosed not only undernutrition but also overnutrition.