Surely, this patient doesn't look undernourished! But he is sharing his fate with a high percentage of the patients in the hospital. Investigations have shown that up to 40% of the patients in the hospitals are undernourished (McWriter and Pennengton). Indeed, this number is unbelievable.

Surely, clinical nutrition is not a first line acute therapy. Nevertheless, to prevent the consequences of malnutrition, it is clinically necessary to provide patients with a sufficient nutritional support.

Is this etically justifiable not to nourish a patient adequately?
Surely not! Even as a patient requiring nutrition support, he is in a weakened clinical situation. To maintain the vital functions he needs nutritional substrates and energy. Adequate nutritional therapy should be regarded as a clear necessity like the oxygen support for patients with compromised lung function.

Therefore, it is important to increase the sensibility for a sufficient nutritional therapy. With solutions for Clinical Nutrition by B. Braun it is very easy to provide an adequate nutritional support.