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Short‐term body weight fluctuations in older well‐hydrated hospitalised patients
Author(s) -
Vivanti A.,
Yu L.,
Palmer M.,
Dakin L.,
Sun J.,
Campbell K.
Publication year - 2013
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/jhn.12034
Subject(s) - medicine , weight loss , body weight , weight change , dehydration , population , demography , zoology , pediatrics , obesity , biochemistry , chemistry , environmental health , sociology , biology
Background The usual daily weight fluctuations of well‐hydrated older hospitalised people have not been documented internationally. To date, dehydration assessments based on a short‐term body weight change defined as >2% have been drawn from healthy population data. The present pilot study aimed to describe usual body weight fluctuation at the same time of day over a 3‐day time frame in well‐hydrated older hospitalised adults. Methods An observational study of non‐acute inpatients ( n = 10) admitted to a Geriatric and Rehabilitation Unit, aged ≥60 years, assessed as well‐hydrated, mobile, non‐amputee and without conditions that influenced fluid status, was conducted. Participants were weighed hourly over a 9‐h period for 3 days. Food and fluid intake, clothing items added or removed, and urine and faecal output were recorded. Results Weight fluctuation for each participant [mean ( SD) 80.2 (4.2) years; male 60.0%, n = 10] over 3 days ranged from 1.1% to 3.6%. Over 3 days, 40.0% (4/10) of participants had weight fluctuations of >2% and 20% (2/10) had weight fluctuations of >3%. Time of weigh‐in accounted for 99.8% of the variation in weight fluctuation ( P < 0.05), with the lowest fluctuations observed when weights were compared at the same time each day (≤0.4 kg). Conclusions Weights recorded at the same time daily had the greatest accuracy. Given that the range 1.1–3.6% was within normal weight fluctuations for well‐hydrated older hospitalised participants, the weight change indicative of dehydration remains to be established in this setting but appears greater than conventionally used figures.