PD976 - HIGH PREVALENCE OF NUTRITIONAL RISK AND INSUFFICIENT ENERGY–PROTEIN INTAKE AMONG PATIENTS AFTER ≥4 DAYS OF HOSPITALIZATION: A REGIONAL POINT-PREVALENCE MULTICENTER STUDY.
PD976
HIGH PREVALENCE OF NUTRITIONAL RISK AND INSUFFICIENT ENERGY–PROTEIN INTAKE AMONG PATIENTS AFTER ≥4 DAYS OF HOSPITALIZATION: A REGIONAL POINT-PREVALENCE MULTICENTER STUDY.
T. Munk1, A. Rytter2,*, A. W. Knudsen1, I. Wessel2 on behalf of The Regional Nutritional Committee
1The Dietitian and Nutritional Research Unit, EATEN, Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev Gentofte Hospital, 2Department of Clinical Nutrition, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospital, Denmark, Copenhagen, Denmark
Rationale: Malnutrition is common among hospitalized patients. Evaluation of intake is appropriate after the first days of hospitalization, when nutritional care is expected to be in place. This study aimed to assess 1) the prevalence of nutritional risk and disease-related malnutrition, and 2) nutritional adequacy.
Methods: A regional multicenter point-prevalence study was conducted among adult inpatients across seven hospitals. Data were collected in September 2023 and 2025 using a standardized protocol. Eligible patients were adults (≥18 years) hospitalized for ≥4 days in somatic wards. Nutritional risk was assessed using NRS-2002, and disease-related malnutrition using the GLIM criteria in at-risk patients. Energy and protein intake were collected via a 24-hour recall and expressed relative to estimated requirements. Adequate intake was defined as ≥75% of both energy and protein requirements.
Results: Across the two years, a total of 1302 patients were included (2023: n=571; 2025: n=731). 61% were at nutritional risk. Among at-risk patients, 50% met GLIM criteria (n=396/788). 33% achieved ≥75% of energy and protein requirements. 20% consumed <50% of energy and 25% <50% of protein requirements. Most patients received oral nutrition alone (86%) despite insufficient intake. Adequate intake varied between hospitals (11.8–49.4%, p<0.001). Among at-risk patients, those with documented screening were more likely to achieve ≥75% of requirements (48.0% vs 31.3%, p<0.001).
Conclusion: A high burden of nutritional risk and malnutrition persists beyond the early phase of hospitalization, while only one-third of patients achieve adequate intake. Many patients consume < 50% of their requirements, yet nutritional care is rarely escalated to supplemental nutrition. This highlights the gap between nutritional goals and care in clinical practice.
Disclosure of Interest: None declared