Feeding Patients: Hospital Food and 
         Feeding Patients: Hospital Food and 
            Enteral and Parenteral Nutrition
            Enteral and Parenteral Nutrition
     • The prevalence of malnutrition among hospitalized 
       adults is estimated at 30% to 50%, depending on the 
       patient population and how malnutrition is defined 
       (Mueller et al., 2011).
     • Starvation related
     • Chronic disease related
     • Acute disease or injury related
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         Feeding Patients: Hospital Food and 
         Feeding Patients: Hospital Food and 
      Enteral and Parenteral Nutrition—(cont.)
      Enteral and Parenteral Nutrition—(cont.)
     • Hospital food may be refused because 
        – It is unfamiliar
        – Tasteless (e.g., cooked without salt)
        – Inappropriate in texture (e.g., pureed meat)
        – Religiously or culturally unacceptable
        – Served at times when the patient is unaccustomed to eating
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         Feeding Patients: Hospital Food and 
         Feeding Patients: Hospital Food and 
     Enteral and Parenteral Nutrition—(cont.)
     Enteral and Parenteral Nutrition—(cont.)
   • Meals may be withheld or missed. 
   • Inadequate liquid diets may not be advanced in 
      a timely manner.
   • Giving the right food to the patient is one thing; 
      getting the patient to eat (most of it) is another.
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                              Oral Diets
                              Oral Diets
     • Easiest and most preferred method of providing 
       nutrition
     • Oral diets may be categorized as 
        – “Regular” 
        – Modified consistency
        – Therapeutic 
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                       Oral Diets—(cont.)
                       Oral Diets—(cont.)
       • Normal, regular, and house diets
          – Regular diets are used to achieve or 
             maintain optimal nutritional status. 
          – Regular diets are adjusted to meet age-
             specific needs throughout the life cycle.
          – Diet as tolerated (DAT) 
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