title: Multidisciplinary consensus on the approach to hospital malnutrition in Spain.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Disease-related malnutrition constitutes a highly prevalent healthcare problem with high costs associated. In Spain, the prevalence of malnutrition in hospitalized patients has been reported from 30% to 50%.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Main purposes of this consensus document were to establish recommendations that facilitate decision-making and action to prevent and early-diagnose disease-related hospital malnutrition, on the management of nutritional support methods and actions to evaluate nutritional treatment compliance and efficacy.
  
  
  METHODS
  A systematic bibliographical search of authors was performed, complemented by updated bibliography by author references up to 2010. From this review, some recommendations were defined, modified and critically evaluated by the representatives of scientific societies in a consensus conference (Dec 2010) following a structured brainstorming technique: the Metaplan(®) technique. A double validation process was undertaken until final recommendations were obtained.
  
  
  RESULTS
  30 consensus recommendations for the prevention and management of hospital malnutrition are presented in this document. Recommendations cover all clinical care settings as well as prevention, screening, diagnosis, treatment and follow-up of disease-related malnutrition.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nutritional screening is strongly recommended at all clinical settings when nutritional risk factors are identified or there is clinical suspicion of malnutrition. Nutritional assessment should be designed and performed according to centers' resources, but clearly identified protocols should be available.
authors.affiliation: Hospital La Paz, Madrid, España. agdl@telefonica.net
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: García de Lorenzo
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Álvarez Hernández
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Planas
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Burgos
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Araujo
mesh_terms: D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D018529:Nutritional Support; D010349:Patient Compliance; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology