Hospital Malnutrition Remains a Critical Challenge in Mexico

This hospital participated in the Latin American ELANPE study, which included 132 hospitals from 14 countries, and documented that 66% of institutions systematically perform nutritional screening, an indicator that reflects the progressive adoption of strategies to improve nutritional care. One of the most relevant findings is that between 63% and 75% of patients lose weight during their hospitalization, which reinforces the need to strengthen the mechanisms for the timely detection of malnutrition and to consider its clinical, administrative, and impact on the quality of life of the patients treated. Among the most relevant risk factors, the specialist emphasized the lack of early identification of malnutrition, which prevents timely intervention. Dr. Pérez Cruz recalled that not all third-level hospitals have a nutrition support unit; however, the Hospital Juárez de México has been a pioneer in this area since 1977. Up to 75% of patients lose weight during their hospital stay. Dr. Elizabeth Pérez Cruz, Head of the Nutrition and Metabolic Support Service at the Hospital Juárez de México, warned that hospital malnutrition continues to represent a critical clinical challenge by increasing morbidity, the risk of infections, delaying wound healing, and, consequently, prolonging the hospital stay and increasing care costs. During the General Session where she presented the topic "Nutritional Support… to whom, how, and when," in which Karen Ivette Gómez Alaniz, Yuritzi Luna Camacho, Sandra Ivette Alba Cuevas, and Mercedes Sánchez Parada participated, she emphasized that these factors create a scenario that significantly compromises health outcomes. According to the Latin American Malnutrition Study (ELAN), Mexico ranks first in the prevalence of hospital malnutrition, with 64%, a figure that contrasts with the wide regional variability, where records range from 7% to 72% depending on the economic context of each country. In this process, the Nutrition Support Service of the Hospital Juárez de México plays a fundamental role in integrating into quality care through global assessments and the joint implementation of interventions with the treating services. The speakers at the session addressed different types of nutritional support and emphasized the "rule of thumb," a tool used to calculate a person's caloric requirements by multiplying body weight by an estimated range of calories per kilogram. They also highlighted that in the case of diminished appetite or reduced intake, it is necessary to supplement the Normal Diet or Hospital Diet with concentrated sources of energy and protein. It was explained that Enteral Nutrition, administered through a tube directly to the gastrointestinal tract, is indicated in patients who cannot eat, do not want to eat, or only cover 50% of their calorie and protein requirements. On the other hand, parenteral nutrition represents a vital alternative when the digestive tract is not functional, by supplying nutrients directly into the bloodstream intravenously. This session reaffirmed that adequate nutritional support is an essential component of comprehensive care, and its timely application can significantly modify the clinical outcomes of hospitalized patients. This note, as well as reports, exclusive interviews, videos, podcasts, and more, you can find in our next special digital edition of "Selected Topics in Health".