Patient malnutrition costing State nearly €1.5bn a year

on 05/03/2013 07:44:51

It has been claimed that malnutrition among patients is costing the health service almost €1.5bn a year.

A two-day nutrition conference that opens in Dublin today, will be told that malnutrition is costing the State 10% of its total health spend, much more than the cost of dealing with Ireland's obesity problem.

The conference will also release details of a study that found 140,000 adult patients are affected by malnutrition at any time, half of whom are over 65.

Nutritionists argue that poorly nourished patients have three times more infections, 30% longer hospital stays and greater need for residential care.