[Nutritional status of elderly patients at admission to a general psychiatric hospital. An inventory].

The nutritional status of 121 psychiatric patients over the age of 60 years was examined on admission in a general psychiatric hospital. Before admission all patients were living independently. They were admitted directly from their homes. We found that the older psychiatric patient is evidently at risk for malnutrition. A quarter of the males had, according to the Quetelet's index, a low weight. Half of the males and one third of the females had a thiamin-deficiency, whereas half of all patients showed a deficiency of folic acid. Furthermore, in half of the males and one tenth of the females anaemia was diagnosed. Widowers and to a lesser extent also patients with an organic brain disease or psychotic disturbance ran a greater risk of malnutrition in comparison to their fellow patients. A relation between behaviour, measured by the Nosie (Nursing Observation Scale for Inpatient Evaluation) and the nutritional status was not found.