Factors associated with patient weight loss and prescribed diet during hospitalization.

OBJECTIVE the aim of this study was to assess weight loss, diet prescribed, and nutritional status in hospitalized patients, as well as their associated factors. METHODS weight loss during hospitalization, nutritional status, disease type, and prescribed diet were investigated in a retrospective study in 621 hospitalized patients. The chi-squared, Fisher's, Mann-Whitney, and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used for statistical analysis. To identify factors associated with weight loss a logistic regression analysis was performed. The significance level adopted for statistical tests was 5 %. RESULTS patients who experienced weight loss during hospitalization were associated with longer hospital stays (p < 0.0001; OR = 1.052; 95 % CI = 1.030 to 1.073), malnourishment according to the subjective global assessment (p = 0.0358; OR = 1.520; 95 % CI = 1,028 to 2,248), digestive disorders (p = 0.0081; OR = 3.177; 95 % CI = 1.351 to 7.469), and digestive neoplasms (p = 0.0407; OR = 2.410; 95 % CI = 1.038 to 5.597). CONCLUSION weight loss during hospitalization was associated with neoplasms, digestive diseases, malnutrition, and length of stay.