The need to identify and effectively manage nutritional concerns in patients undergoing treatment for substance abuse

摘要

It is well known that malnutrition in the hospitalized patient is a significant problem that continues to be underdiagnosed and undertreated [l].This is of concern because malnutrition is associated with a range of negative outcomes, including increased complications and infections [1]. Anecdotally, persons being treated for addictions have a high risk of nutritional problems; however, this is often not well documented because of the challenges of conducting studies in this population.The article by Ross et al. [2] in this issue of Nutrition presents evidence to highlight the significant nutritional concerns in patients receiving treatment at an alcohol and drug treatment center. One-fourth of the 67 patients admitted to a public hospital detoxification unit were identified as malnourished by the Subjective Global Assessment.