International audit on hospital nutrition and patient outcomes

NutritionDay in Worldwide Hospitals: A Cross-sectional Registry

Medical University of Vienna · NCT02820246

This study looks at how nutrition affects the health of hospitalized patients to see if better food can lead to improved recovery and care.

Quick facts

Study typeObservational
Enrollment250000 (estimated)
Ages6 Years and up
SexAll
SponsorMedical University of Vienna (other)
Locations1 site (Vienna)
Trial IDNCT02820246 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This international cross-sectional audit collects data on malnutrition among hospitalized patients to assess the relationship between nutritional intake and patient outcomes. Conducted in various hospital wards, the study gathers information through questionnaires filled out by medical staff and patients. The aim is to create a risk profile for nutritional interventions based on the specific needs of each unit, allowing for better resource allocation and improved patient care. The audit provides anonymous feedback to participating units, comparing their performance with others.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Ideal candidates include all hospitalized patients present in participating wards during the audit period, particularly those at risk of malnutrition.

Not a fit: Patients under the age of 6 or those unable to understand the questionnaire due to language barriers may not benefit from this study.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this study could lead to improved nutritional care and better health outcomes for hospitalized patients.

How similar studies have performed: Other studies have shown that improved nutritional assessment and intervention can significantly enhance patient outcomes, indicating a promising approach.

Eligibility criteria

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

* All patients hospitalized in a given ward and present within the unit from 7H00 to 19H00 (e.g.) during the first nursing shift of the nutritionDay (one given day per year), including admissions and discharges within the period.

Questionnaire especially dedicated to children and young adults are provided for patients aged 7-17. Questionnaires for children can be completed by the patients themselves or by a legal guardian.

* Patients may accept to participate only for the medical documentation part from the caregiver sheet (sheet 2) and individual patient outcome (sheet 4), but refuse to fill the individual patient questionnaire (sheet 3).

Exclusion Criteria:

* Patient with an age \< 6 a.
* Patients unable to understand and answer questions because none of the 31 available languages is understood for the hospital cohort.
* Patient's refusal to answer the patient specific questionnaire or refusal of medical data use for auditing and research.
* Patients admitted and discharged during the same calendar day.

Where this trial is running

Vienna

Study contacts

How to participate

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.

View on ClinicalTrials.gov →

Conditions: Malnutrition, nutrition assessment, nutrition therapy, nutrition surveys, patient outcome assessment, outcome and process assessment, benchmarking, risk assessment

Last reviewed 2026-05-15 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.