# Healing Through Nutrition: Evaluating Dietary Support in Jordanian Hospitals

## TL;DR

This study compares dietary intake in Jordanian hospitals and finds that private hospitals provide better nutrition than governmental and educational ones.

## Contribution

The study evaluates the gap between dietary recommendations and actual intake in Jordanian hospitals across different categories.

## Key findings

- Private hospitals provided energy and macronutrient intakes closer to recommended levels.
- Governmental and educational hospitals significantly underprovided energy and fiber.
- Micronutrient deficiencies, especially for vitamin D, vitamin E, and iron, were common across all hospital types.

## Abstract

Background/Objective: Adequate nutrition is essential for patient recovery and overall health, yet hospital food services often fail to meet dietary guidelines. This study aimed to catch the gap between the dietary recommendation and the real intake. Methods: A total of 300 inpatients (100 per hospital type) were included in this cross-sectional study, which was conducted over two months. Nutritional intake was measured via weighed food records and actual intake was analyzed to calculate actual nutrient intake. Data were evaluated against dietary reference intakes (DRIs) and analyzed statistically via SPSS. One-way ANOVA and paired-sample t tests were used to identify significant differences between hospital categories and meal components. Results: The results revealed that private hospitals provided energy and macronutrient intakes closer to the recommended levels, with the total energy intake (2098.54 ± 97.33 kcal) exceeding the recommended level. Governmental and educational hospitals fell short, providing 1118.59 ± 68.21 kcal and 1285.91 ± 78.42 kcal, respectively. All hospital types served inadequate fiber, but private hospitals (23.18 ± 1.14 g) were closer to the recommendations. Micronutrient deficiencies were prevalent, particularly for vitamin D, vitamin E, and iron, across all hospital types. Conclusions: Nutritional intake varies significantly across Jordanian hospital categories, with private hospitals performing better than governmental and educational facilities do. Addressing these disparities through enhanced meal planning and monitoring is essential to improve patient health outcomes and reduce the risk of malnutrition.