nation
Food and physical exercise remain the main allies for a longer and better quality of life, but it is currently estimated that 1% of the Portuguese population suffers from malnutrition.
About 115,000 people suffer from malnutrition or are at risk of malnutrition in Portugal. It is estimated that illnesses resulting from this reality cost the NHS €225 million per year.
These and other issues will be discussed Monday and Tuesday at the annual conference of Portuguese Association of Enteral and Parenteral Nutrition (ANEP).
“Out of the 20 countries participating in this project, we ranked 19th in terms of quality – we were second to last. We have improved significantly in the last six years, that is, we have been able to have legislation that other countries do not have,” says the head of the national agency. Renewable Energy, Anibal Marinho: “The only thing left now is to implement it on the ground.”
Studies conducted in Portugal show that 40% of people admitted to hospitals are at nutritional risk.
The cost of hospital treatment for these patients is about 20% higher than the cost of treatment for patients with the same diagnosis but without the associated nutritional risks, which is why the National Renewable Energy Agency calls for investment in health centres.
Malnutrition is a public health problem that affects thousands of people around the world, and increases the patient's health risk, increasing, for example, the risk of infection or the development of bed sores.
