In order to reduce the incidence of malnutrition y bad nutrition of hospitalized patients, most with comorbidities, the Ajusco Middle Hospital “Dr. Abdulia Rodríguez Rodríguez” implemented new diets with adequate energy and protein intake, informed the capital’s government.
In the framework of world obesity daySergio Jesús Maya Zarza, head of the hospital’s Dietology and Nutrition service, explained that now food is offered that stimulates the patient’s appetite, that is eye-catching and with flavors like a restaurant.
“In this hospital we pamper the sick. We carry out the new diets with the supplies that we have within our reach and we want that when patients are discharged they learn to eat well without sacrificing flavor and presentation of food,” he said in a statement.
He specified that this new type of menu began in December 2021 and more than 100 meals are made daily, which are distributed among medical personnel and hospital patients.
The nutritionist stated that these diets incorporate currently recommended eating patterns (Mediterranean diet and DASH diet “dietary approaches to stop hypertension”), especially for chronic-degenerative diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, patient with nephropathy and liver disease that prevail in our population.
He explained that in the Hospital Ajusco Medio, the nutrition service individualizes the indications of diets to favor oral consumption, and thus reduce hospital stay.
“The quality of life is improved by the independence of our patients and favors the control of chronic degenerative diseases, with a better adherence to nutritional treatment,” he said.
In general, added the nutritionist, the aim is to eliminate the perception that food in a hospital is bad and show that nutrition is an important pillar for the recovery of our patients.
The main changes incorporated into food preparation are: variability in preparation, incorporation of spices, as well as avoiding the use of salt and refined sugar; presentation on the plates; incorporation of vegetables as main dishes, ovolactovegetarian type; salads with different types of foods that meet the macronutrients, such as proteins, oil, fruits and vegetables in different consistencies; types of cooking, such as roasting, baking, wallpapering; more elaborate purées, not just vegetables, fruit and ground meat separately.
Sergio Maya added that they do not add refined sugar to food; restrictions on sausages are maintained; as well as dairy products or derivatives.