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Malnutrition in a UK children's hospital
Author(s) -
Moy R. J. D.,
Smallman S.,
Booth I. W.
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
journal of human nutrition and dietetics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.951
H-Index - 70
eISSN - 1365-277X
pISSN - 0952-3871
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-277x.1990.tb00056.x
Subject(s) - medicine , malnutrition , referral , pediatrics , environmental health , family medicine
A survey of the nutritional status of a multi‐racial group of children in a UK regional referral centre revealed a high prevalence of both acute and chronic protein‐energy malnutrition; 16% were severely stunted and 14% severely wasted, with a further 20% at risk of severe malnutrition if nutritionally stressed. Severe stunting was particularly common in patients with chronic cardiac or gastrointestinal disorders. No racial differences in stunting were found. These findings indicate that formal nutritional surveillance of children in hospital is important, and will identify a large reservoir of patients with secondary malnutrition requiring nutritional support.