What are signs of malnutrition in adults? How can I help someone to eat who doesn't want to?
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You wanted to know what the signs of malnutrition are, and how you can get someone to eat who says that food just doesn’t sound good to them. And one of the biggest signs of malnutrition is weight loss, and it can be so gradual that a person doesn’t even realize it. But if a person has lost 5% to 10% of their bodyweight within 3 to 6 months, then that’s a good sign that they’re malnourished, especially if they weren’t trying to lose weight, and it’s just happening on its own. That’s where the doctor takes the person’s weight and height into account, plugs it into a formula, and gets a number. And if that person’s body mass index is below 18.5, then they could be considered malnourished.
Now, of course, there are many other things that can be affected by malnourishment. It affects literally every organ system in your body. And so some people will have skin problems, sometimes they just get sick all the time and have a hard time getting over illnesses, they might have really dry skin, brittle nails, brittle hair. It can affect your ability to think clearly, and so people who are malnourished may just be a little bit slow to react, may have a hard time remembering things, just basically functioning on a normal level. It can also cause fatigue, and weakness, and joint pain. And so if someone has nausea and they’re not eating, or food just doesn’t sound good to them, and they’re struggling, it’s best to go to the doctor and talk to them about it. After asking this person more specific questions and performing an exam, calculating their BMI among other things, they’ll decide if malnourishment is the diagnosis for this person. Of course, all the symptoms that I talked about can be due to many other things as well, and so the doctor will decide if further investigation or treatment is necessary.
Now as for getting a person to eat that says that food just doesn’t sound good to them – if it’s due to nausea, the doctor can prescribe medications that help to treat nausea, and that might make them have an appetite again. And sometimes dietitians get involved, if it’s severe enough, and talk to the person about diet, what to eat, how to pack their meals full of protein and fat and the appropriate amount of calories to help them gain weight again. So really, it has to do with counseling and reaching out for medical help. And based on the doctor’s knowledge of what’s going on, they’ll be able to decide what’s best for the person. If you have any other questions for me in the future, feel free to ask them on our Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/IntermountainMoms, and recommend us to your friends and family too.
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