Apart from the impact on quality of life and on general health, malnutrition leaves a patient open to major risks and, in certain cases, can affect the final prognosis.

The consequences of malnutrition are real and of several types :

loss of energy, followed by anaemia or even asthenia, loss of muscle mass, reducing physical faculties and increasing the risk of falls, alteration of the immune system, increasing the risk of infections, poor cell renewal and poor tissue condition, leading to longer healing times and increased risk of bed-sores, longer periods of hospitalisation.

low food intake minor malnutrition loss of weight

albuminemia decrease loss of muscles illness

 

endogenous malnutrition lung infection stress (hip fracture)

 

immunity loss

 

new infection

 

bedsores

From : Nutrition de la Personne Agée – M. Ferry, E. Alix, P. Brocker, T. Constans, B. Lesourd, D. Mischlich, P. Pfitzenmeyer, B. Vellas. Edition Masson