The risk of under-nutrition in hospitalised Malaysian children: Use of 3-minute nutrition screening-paediatrics (Paediatric 3-MinNS)

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the under-nutrition risk of children admitted to hospitals using a validated tool.

METHODS: The cross-sectional study was conducted from September 2017 to June 2018 in the paediatrics wards of a tertiary referral paediatric government hospital, a tertiary teaching hospital and a government district hospital in Malaysia. The sample comprised paediatric patients aged 2-12 years within 24-72 hours of hospital admission. Data was collected using the 3-Minute Nutrition Screening-Paediatrics tool. Data was analysed using SPSS 20.

RESULTS: Of the 341 patients screened, 284(83.3%) were included; 170(59.9%) boys and 114(40.1%) girls. The overall median age was 4.85 years (interquartile range: 4.33 years). The median length of hospital stay was 3 days (interquartile range: 3 days). There were 72(25.4%) participants at high under-nutrition risk, with the highest proportion being at the district government hospital 31(33%). Among those with high risk, 5.4% subjects had severe acute malnutrition, 9.7% had severe chronic malnutrition, and 11.1% had severe thinness.

CONCLUSION: The 3-Minute Nutrition Screening-Paediatrics scale was found to be effective as a nutrition screening tool for hospitalised children in Malaysia.