Food Safety and Health

Biography

Biography: Bulbin Jos

Abstract

According to WHO, health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infi rmity. Poor nutrition is linked to chronic diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases, type-2 DM, osteoporosis and anemia among people, which greatly compromise the physical, social, psychological and emotional wellness of an individual. Hospitalized patients face many challenges including maintaining a good nutritional status and avoiding weight loss and malnutrition. However, research shows that the majority of patients in acute care centers suff er from various nutritional defi cits weight loss and malnutrition. In some patients, the nutritional defi cits can lead to cachexia, a specifi c form of malnutrition characterized by loss of lean body mass, muscle wasting and impaired immune physical and mental function. Furthermore poor nutritional status, weight loss and malnutrition can lead to poor outcomes for patients including decreased quality of life, decreased functional status, increased complication rates and treatment disruptions. Th ese nutritional challenges increase mortality and morbidity status among patients. Early nutrition screening and intervention is vital in these patients to help prevent this nutritional decline and to help patients to get better health care outcome. Th e goals of nutritional support in hospitalized patients are numerous and include maintaining an acceptable weight and preventing or treating malnutrition, leading to better tolerance of treatment and its side eff ects, more rapid healing and recovery, reduced risk of infection during treatment and enhanced overall survival. Th erefore, multidisciplinary approach among all healthcare professionals is necessary to identify patients with nutrition risk to provide the appropriate and eff ective nutrition interventions.