Malnourished Patients There are some misconceptions about being malnourished, and what it actually means. Most people think that malnourished people only reside in third world countries. This is absolutely not correct. There are many malnourished people right here in the U.S. Patients at Risk Homeless people are the number one group of admitted patients that are malnourished. This is understandable, due to the limitations with proper nutrition. If admitted into the hospital, workers can attempt to introduce nutrition back into the diet of a homeless person. There is little that can be done where there is no money, and the person lives on the street, or in their car. Suggesting a local soup kitchen or shelter may be beneficial, and depending on the seriousness of the patient, there may be group homes available to individuals unable to care for themselves. -
Models, actresses, and those in the fashion industry are often hospitalized for malnourishment. Many models in particular, may go for days at a time without consuming food of any substance. They may drink only water, and consume small amounts of fruit that has a high-water content. Water and fruit can be good for you, however, that is not enough. Our bodies need complete nourishment, a balance of fruit, vegetables, grains, dairy and protein. Without proper amounts of the food group the body suffers. When a person puts their body into starvation mode, it begins to rob muscle and nutrients, eventually leaving you weak and unable to physically perform as normal.
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Surprisingly, some of the most malnourished patients are severely obese. Many times, morbidly obese patients eat an abundance of junk food and not nutritious foods. This can leave them overweight, but unhealthy and actually malnourished. The course of treatment in this situation is to attempt to retrain the patient to eat a healthier diet. While not always successful, on everyoccasion, the patient may learn a new and healthier style of eating.
Related: Unusual Medical Cases Malnourished patients may need to receive IV fluids in order to regain hydration, after which the solid foods can be addressed. It can be difficult