Undernutrition affects 30 to 50 percent of hospitalized
patients. The identification of
patients with
undernutrition or in
risk to become undernourished is of utmost importance to prescribe a timely
nutritional support. This article performs a critical
review of anthropometrical, biochemical and functional
parameters used for
nutritional assessment. Prognostic indexes and other
parameters used for the assessment of nutritional
risk are also discussed. Some tools are proposed for the
diagnosis of
hospital malnutrition.