Psychiatric patients may develop malnutrition, especially if certain risk factors are present.
Risk factors for malnutrition in a psychiatric patient:
(1) anorexia (anorexia nervosa, drug-induced, other)
(2) ethanol abuse
(3) drug abuse, especially methamphetamines
(4) poverty and food insecurity
(5) social isolation
(6) restricted or unbalanced diet, including the influence of delusional beliefs
