The I Conference on Clinical Nutrition, organized by the Medical Director of HLA San Carlos, Dr. Marco Lattur; was held in the House of Culture of Dénia. This meeting brought together ten specialists in internal medicine, surgery in general, obesity, diabetes, endocrinology, clinical psychology, nutrition and speech therapy, in order to update their knowledge for diagnosis and treatment against malnutrition in hospitalized patients and the largest epidemic of the sign XXI, obesity.
"Broadly speaking, clinical nutrition is the discipline that deals with treating patients who suffer from diseases or situations in which an adequate diet is part of their treatment, both in the hospital setting and in the home.", explains Dr. Mafé, internist, coordinator of the Nutrition Unit of HLA San Carlos Office. "It is important to emphasize that this discipline does not only have a curative approach, but also a preventive one, that's why it is important to train professionals and allocate more means to prevent entities such as malnutrition or obesity, to avoid having to treat them later".
Different studies published in recent years indicate malnutrition in hospitalized patients between an 30 and an 50%. "Identifying this malnutrition becomes fundamental to avoid or minimize the repercussion that this may have on the clinical evolution of patients. It is demonstrated that malnutrition is associated with greater complications, longer hospital stay, higher re-entry rates and even with an increase in mortality ", says the HLA internist in Dénia.
For all these reasons, malnutrition means loss of quality of life for patients and their families, as well as increased costs for institutions and for society. Against this, the Coordinator of the Nutrition Unit appeals to "Professionals must be proactive in screening, diagnosis and in the establishment of an early treatment of malnutrition".
Malnutrition: the challenge of an attractive menu for the senses
We speak of 'hospital food', as an adjective qualifying something that is, at least, unappetizing. But in hospitals there is no single diet and your menu must collect, on the one hand, the guidelines of a varied and healthy diet as well as the medical criteria in which the pathology is established, the role of the diet associated with it and to whom he suffers. There is usually a basal diet and modifications in order to adapt it to the clinical picture of the admitted patient.
For example, Dr. Mafé reports that "In some patients with difficulty swallowing (dysphagia), it is also important to adapt the texture of the diet to prevent the food from going to the respiratory route instead of the digestive tract, with the risk of complications that this implies". And, with all these variables, it is possible for health personnel to prescribe the proper diet and the cook to prepare a dish with the therapeutic and organoleptic guidelines necessary to the case.
"From the Institutions we have to work so that the food is attractive to the senses, it is a pleasant moment of the day and represents a comfortable element in the patient's hospital life", emphasizes the Coordinator of the Nutrition Unit of HLA San Carlos, even that "after discharge, it is important that the patient follow the dietary recommendations prescribed by their doctor to promote recovery. In some cases, oral supplements may be prescribed to benefit recovery after malnutrition. ".
Obesity is a disease, and it can be prevented
Because overweight in children and obesity in adults are increasing at a worrying rate, with worldwide figures that are around 1.500 millions of overweight people and 500 millions obese, that is why the 1st HLA San Nutrition Day Carlos also addressed this problem of our century and that especially affects Western society.
"Both overweight and obesity are associated with an increase in chronic diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular accidents and diabetes", recalls Dr. Mafé and adds that "Balanced diet and healthy lifestyle habits such as exercise, emotional well-being and good rest are the key to success in maintaining a healthy weight. And in some selected cases, when the diet fails, bariatric surgery can be a great ally ".
The HLA professional San Carlos says that this situation adds to the "At this time of year, with the arrival of the summer season, the appearance of 'miracle diets' that have no scientific evidence and pose a risk to health are frequent. If you want to start a diet, you should go to a qualified specialist, because obesity is preventable and in our hands is to avoid this new epidemic among all ".
