Malnutrition Shown Adding Billions to U.S. Health Costs (including cancers)

Science and Enterprise

 Goates and colleagues drew their data from two large-scale national health care surveys, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, or Nhanes, and National Health Interview Survey over 6 years. The researchers looked specifically at variables related to nutrition among people with 8 chronic diseases: stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or COPD, coronary heart failure, breast cancer, dementia, musculoskeletal disorders, depression, and colorectal cancer.

The researchers indicate many patients with these conditions arrive at the hospital with malnutrition, even if obese, or become malnourished at the hospital, which can increase the risk of complications or delay recovery.