Introduction: Nutritional disturbances in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are very common. Symptomatology and functionality in chronic diseases could be related with the nutrition. Malnutrition could aggravate the disease. Objectives: Therefore, the aims of this study were 1) to evaluate the profile of the patient with COPD and malnutrition, and 2) to determine the relationship between the nutritional status with functionality and symptomatology in COPD patients. Methods: An observational study was conducted in patients with severe COPD. The independence levels, quality of life was evaluated, comorbidities and anxiety and depression were evaluated. Respiratory function was assessed with spirometry, forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV 1) was recorded, and Borg modified scale was used to determine de dyspnea perception. The Mini Nutritional Assessment questionnaire (MNA) evaluated the nutritional status. Finally, the simptomatology was assessed with Leicester Cough Questionnaire, and with London Chest Activity of Daily Living Scale. Results: A sample of 154 subjects was included in this study, 98 of them were males. A group of 71 subjects showed malnutrition and a group of 83 patients a normal nutritional status. The comparison between the groups showed significant differences in the clinical characteristics (p < 0.05). The analysis showed significant differences in dyspnea (p = 0.043), and the subscales of functionality related to respiratory symptoms self-care (p = 0.040) and leisure (p = 0.019) and the total score (p = 0.031). The worst results were shown in the patients with malnutrition. Conclusion: Our investigation shows that patients with COPD and malnutrition have worse results in symptomatology and functionality than patients with COPD without malnutrition.

The International Working Group for Patients' Right to Nutritional Care presents its position paper regarding nutritional care as a human right intrinsically linked to the right to food and the right to health. All people should have access to food and evidence-based medical nutrition therapy including artificial nutrition and hydration. In this regard, the hospitalized malnourished ill should mandatorily have access to screening, diagnosis, nutritional assessment, with optimal and timely nutritional therapy in order to overcome malnutrition associated morbidity and mortality, while reducing the rates of disease-related malnutrition. This right does not imply there is an obligation to feed all patients at any stage of life and at any cost. On the contrary, this right implies, from an ethical point of view, that the best decision for the patient must be taken and this may include, under certain circumstances, the decision not to feed. Application of the human rights-based approach to the field of clinical nutrition will contribute to the construction of a moral, political and legal focus to the concept of nutritional care. Moreover, it will be the cornerstone to the rationale of political and legal instruments in the field of clinical nutrition.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has reached worldwide, and until a vaccine is found, it will continue to cause significant morbidity and mortality. The clinical presentation of COVID-19 ranges from that of being asymptomatic to developing a fatal illness characterized by multiple organ involvement. Approximately 20% of the patients will require hospitalization; onequarter of hospitalized patients will develop severe COVID-19 requiring admission to the intensive care unit, most frequently, with acute respiratory failure. An ongoing effort is being made to identify the patients that will develop severe COVID-19. Overall, patients present with 3 different phenotypes of nutrition risk: (1) the frail older patient, (2) the patient with severe ongoing chronic illness, and (3) the patient with severe and morbid obesity. These 3 phenotypes represent different nutrition risks and diverse nutrition interventions. This article explores the different potential approaches to nutrition intervention in patients with COVID-19, evaluating, in this process, the challenges faced in the implementation of guidelines written by different societies.

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Rationale The gap between the nutrition education provided to medical students and the nutrition competences and attitudes needed for doctors to provide effective nutrition care is a global concern. The goal of this study was to investigate the curricular content on nutrition education in Latin American medical schools and to evaluate the self‐perceived knowledge, attitudes, and barriers to nutrition practice of final‐year medical students. Methods Eighty‐five public and private medical schools from 17 Latin American countries were invited to participate in the study. Two close‐ended online questionnaires consisting of 25 and 43 questions were sent to medical school directors. Quantitative variables were expressed as frequencies, percentages, mean ± standard deviation, medians, and ranges. Results A total of 22 (26%) medical school directors responded, of which 11 schools (50%) offered stand‐alone mandatory nutrition courses in preclinical and 8 (36%) in clinical years. The mean hours dedicated to nutrition education was 47 (range: 0–150). A total of 1530 of 1630 (94%) students from 12 countries responded. Students’ average age was 25 ± 3 years, and 59% were female. Most students agreed that improving patients’ health through nutrition (91%) is important and that nutrition counseling and assessment should be part of routine care provided by all physicians (89%), but they lack the level of education and training required to address nutrition‐related issues. Conclusions Positive attitude and interest in nutrition among final‐year medical students is high, but nutrition education is not perceived as sufficient to adequately prepare doctors in the field of nutrition.

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The International Working Group for Patients' Right to Nutritional Care presents its position paper regarding nutritional care as a human right intrinsically linked to the right to food and the right to health. All people should have access to food and evidence‐based medical nutrition therapy including artificial nutrition and hydration. In this regard, the hospitalized malnourished ill should mandatorily have access to screening, diagnosis, nutritional assessment, with optimal and timely nutritional therapy in order to overcome malnutrition associated morbidity and mortality, while reducing the rates of disease‐related malnutrition. This right does not imply there is an obligation to feed all patients at any stage of life and at any cost. On the contrary, this right implies, from an ethical point of view, that the best decision for the patient must be taken and this may include, under certain circumstances, the decision not to feed. Application of the human rights‐based approach to the field of clinical nutrition will contribute to the construction of a moral, political, and legal focus to the concept of nutritional care. Moreover, it will be the cornerstone to the rationale of political and legal instruments in the field of clinical nutrition.

No abstract