ĐÁNH GIÁ TÌNH TRẠNG DINH DƯỠNG VÀ NHU CẦU TƯ VẤN DINH DƯỠNG CỦA NGƯỜI TRƯỞNG THÀNH ĐẾN KHÁM TẠI PHÒNG KHÁM NỘI – BỆNH VIỆN ĐA KHOA TRUNG ƯƠNG QUẢNG NAM NĂM 2025

Abstract

Aims: The study was conducted to assess the nutritional status and determine the nutritional counseling needs of adults visiting the Internal Medicine clinic at Quang Nam Central General Hospital in 2025.

Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted on 255 adult patients (aged 18–60 years) attending the Internal Medicine clinic who were able to communicate and provided informed consent; excluded were pregnant women, individuals with physical conditions affecting anthropometric measurements (edema, spinal deformities, limb amputation), and those with cognitive or memory impairments. Nutritional status was assessed using Body Mass Index (BMI) and Waist-to-Hip Ratio (WHR). Nutritional counseling needs were collected via direct interview questionnaires.

Results: The prevalence of overweight and obesity according to BMI was 25.5% and 18.4%, respectively, while 7.1% of patients were underweight. Notably, 63.9% of subjects had a waist-to-hip ratio higher than the recommended level. Regarding the demand for nutritional counseling, 57.3% of the subjects expressed a desire for the service, primarily driven by nutrition-related medical conditions (63.0%). Face-to-face counseling was the most preferred method (69.2%), followed by interactive online counseling (26.0%). Approximately 79.4% of patients were willing to pay for counseling services, while 20.6% expected coverage through Health Insurance.

Conclusion: The findings suggest that priority should be given to implementing systematic nutritional screening and establishing outpatient nutritional counseling services at Quang Nam Central General Hospital, with a particular focus on patients with nutrition-related pathologies.