Why is it important to eat well in hospital?
When you’re feeling unwell, it’s common to lose your appetite and eat less than usual. However, during illness, your body may require more food, making it challenging to consume enough energy, protein, fats, vitamins, and minerals. This can lead to weight loss and delay your recovery. Poor eating habits during illness increase the risk of malnutrition (weakness or poor health due to a lack of nutritious food), which can result in:
- Longer hospital stays.Increased risk of illness, infection and slower wound healing.
- Increased nausea and constipation.
- Increased risk of falls.
- Low mood and reduced quality of life.
- Reduced energy, reduced muscle strength and inability to carry out daily activities.
Tips to help improve your appetite in hospital
Although you may not feel like eating, appetite is often stimulated by eating, so you might find the following advice useful:
- Eat ‘little and often’ – try a small snack between meals and a dessert after lunch and evening meal.
- Get comfortable before eating – ensure you sit upright or try to sit in the chair.
- Maintain good oral hygiene – clean your teeth twice a day.
- Avoid filling up on drinks just before or during meals to avoid feeling too full to eat.
- Ensure drinks are an easy way to get extra energy, protein, vitamins and minerals and are available on the ward in different flavours – just ask ward staff. You can drink them between meals. You can also mix them with milk, juice or water
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