title: Identification of malnutrition risk factors in hospitalized patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify factors associated with the risk of malnutrition in hospitalized patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study, performed in a general hospital located in São Paulo, in a convenience sample of 300 adult individuals, aged 18 to 64 years. A structured questionnaire was applied consisting of anthropometric, clinical and dietary data, and the patients were evaluated and dichotomized into malnourished and non-malnourished. A multiple logistic regression was performed to identify the factors associated with malnutrition. The variables were organized according to the values of odds ratio (OR), confidence interval (95% CI), regression coefficient (β) and descriptive level of significance (p).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The malnutrition occurred in 60.7% and the variables associated with malnutrition were: recent and involuntary weight loss, apparent bony structure, decreased appetite, diarrhea, inadequate energy intake and male sex.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The factors associated with malnutrition can be identified at hospital admission and lead to a nutritional evaluation that will allow adequate intervention and nutritional therapy.
authors.affiliation: Curso de Graduação em Nutrição, Universidade São Judas Tadeu, Rua Pires da Mota 1011, São Paulo, SP. 　rcaquino@uol.com.br
authors.forename: Rita de Cássia de
authors.initials: Rde C
authors.lastname: Aquino
authors.forename: Sonia Tucunduva
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Philippi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult