ABSTRACT
The present study was undertaken to determine the incidence of malnutrition among hospitalized patients. A cross-sectional study of patients were evaluated for findings suggestive of protein calorie malnutrition [PCM]. Hundred and sixty patients admitted to the medical and surgical wards over a period of five months were studied. Anthropometrics and biochemical measurements were used. Nutrition status was calculated based on some nutrition parameters-weight for height, midarm, circumference, serum albumin and total lymphocyte count. Anthropometric measurements, weight for height and midarm circumference reflected malnutrition [PCM] of 33.8% and 30% respectively. The overall prevalence of obesity was 21%. A higher proportion [23.9%] of medical cases were found to be obese compared to surgical cases [19.7%]. If malnutrition can be documented on hospital admission, attempts can be made to reverse malnutrition in the high risk patients