Authors

Carmen Martín Salinas

Position

Enfermera. Profesora de la Escuela Universitaria de Enfermería La Paz. Servicio Madrileño de la Salud. Universidad Autónoma de Madrid.

Contact address

Escuela Universitaria de Enfermería. Hospital Universitario La Paz Paseo de la Castellana, 261. 28046 Madrid.

Contact email: cmartins.hulp@salud.madrid.org

Abstract

Modern society has access to more food than it can possibly consume and as a result there is a notable amount of health problems derived from overfeeding. This leads to assessing the need and importance of educating the population with institutional campaigns aimed at the healthy as well as the sick. In this sense, the nurse participates in health-related settings (by promoting healthy eating habits aimed at establishing behaviour conducts that help the individual maintain health), in disease prevention (by correcting inadequate or harmful habits that may have a negative impact on health), and in health recovery (by ensuring that the hospitalised patient receives all the necessary care and, once at home, adopts the diet modifications required by his or her health problem). In this way, nursing professionals care for people with the aim of meeting a basic physiological need that can be altered both in sickness and in health.

Keywords:

nutritional care; eating habits; nutritional healthdiet counselling

Versión en Español

Título:

El cuidado nutricional como componente del cuidado integral de los pacientes