Diagnosis
A first indication of the presence of malnutrition can be given by self-tests, but the person concerned must answer honestly. People who suspect that they are suffering from malnutrition should try to answer two questions: 1. have I lost weight unintentionally during the past months? (We are talking about several kilograms here) 2. have I eaten significantly less food in the last few months or have I been eating very unbalanced?
Patients who can answer both questions clearly with “yes” should consult a doctor as soon as possible and have malnutrition ruled out by him. Already the detailed doctor-patient conversation gives the practitioner a first insight into the nutritional behavior of the person concerned. In addition to the intake of food, the following points are in the foreground: Following the doctor-patient consultation (in short: anamnesis), a detailed physical examination takes place in which the person concerned is examined from head to toe.
In addition, various screening tests (above all the so-called Nutritional Risk Screening; short: NSR 2002 ) are used in everyday clinical practice. The NSR 2002 is divided into several sections. In the first section, three questions must be answered: According to this screening, malnutrition is already present if only one of these three questions is answered with “Yes”.
The question of whether this screening method is reliable is shared by the medical world. Since the BMI as such is rather controversial, the question remains whether it can actually provide reliable information about the nutritional situation of a person. It is a fact that although the Body Mass Index correlates body weight with height, it does not place any value on the body fat percentage.
As a result, even sporty people who weigh a little more due to their muscles can have a higher BMI, for example. Laboratory tests can also provide indications of malnutrition.
- Current complaints (symptoms)
- The living situation
- Complaints when chewing and swallowing
- The stool behavior
- Underlying diseases
- Past treatments and operations.
- What is the Body Mass Index (BMI) of the person concerned? A BMI less than 20.5 kg/m2 is classified as underweight.
- Has the person concerned lost weight within the last three months?
- Has the affected person eaten less and/or unbalanced within the last few weeks?
