Publication:

Double burden of malnutrition in psychiatric disorders: a hospital-based cross-sectional study in Eastern India

Background Psychiatric disorders are associated with nutritional impairment due to multiple reasons, including altered appetite, loss of functional abilities, and quality of life. Improving dietary intake may reduce the risk of malnutrition among psychiatric patients. However, it is not clear whether disease severity and hospitalization can impair this process. Therefore, in the present study, we intend to compare the risk of malnutrition in hospitalized patients who receive a planned diet under supervision versus community-dwelling psychiatric patients who generally have poor dietary intakes.

Methods A cross-sectional pilot study was conducted with 48 in-patients and 50 out-patients at a tertiary hospital in Kolkata, West Bengal. The risk of malnutrition was determined using Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST). Anthropometric and blood pressure measurements were performed. Dietary intake was recorded, and nutritional value was calculated.

Results The in-patients were at a higher risk of malnutrition than the out-patients (P<0.05). The in-patients had a significantly lower BMI, systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure (P<0.001). The in-patients had both undernutrition (31.25%) and obesity (22.92%), whereas, the out-patients were predominantly obese (64%). Dietary analysis revealed that the nutritive value of hospital diet was better than the diets consumed by the out-patients.

Conclusions Psychiatric patients had a double burden of malnutrition. The risk of malnutrition may worsen with disease severity. In spite of receiving a balanced diet, the in-patients were at a higher risk of malnutrition. Additional nutrition support is required to promote the nutritional status of psychiatric patients.