Objective.

To determine the nutritional status and outcomes of patients in 2 hospitals in Villavicencio.

Method.

Prospective cross-sectional study, survey conducted in two hospitals in Villavicencio, Colombia, on February 24th, 2015. Adult patients from surgical or clinical wards were included. Data was registered in Excel and statistical analysis with SPSS was conducted to determine association between independent variables and outcomes (Mortality and length of stay). Significance was established as p<0,05 with Chi square and Student T test.

Results.

One hundred and sixteen patients were surveyed. Fifty-six percent of patients were from the public hospital, 58,5% were from surgical wards and 65% were men. Average age was 65,7 (± 20,6) years old. Only 37,1% of the patients had the weight registered in the clinical chart, so nutritional status could be determined in only 31%. Only 23,1% of malnutrition was found, including a 9,5% of underweighted patients. Longer length of stay was found in patients from the public hospital, as well as, under-nutrition, overweight and obesity. No association with mortality was found.

Conclusions.

Under-nutrition is a prevalent disease in hospitalized patients, but it is not often diagnosed. Anthropometric measures are not registered in all clinical charts of hospitalized patients and it is required a higher level of sensitivity among health care workers, in order to establish early intervention measures, and to get better clinical outcomes.

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