
The HPE Diet
If you’re a clinical dietitian working within the hospital setting, you probably know the high protein/energy (HPE) diet inside and out. For those of you with little exposure to the HPE, read on. What is Malnutrition Before we try to understand the HPE diet, we need to look at the condition a HPE diet is designed to prevent, malnutrition. Malnutrition is a silent killer that goes largely unrecognised, undiagnosed, untreated in our hospitals. Often, it is not taken seriously enough. It occurs when an individual does not consume enough protein and/or energy to meet their requirements. Some common causes of malnutrition: - Increased energy and protein requirements (for example, cancer patients, post-surgery). - Decreased appetite (due to medication, age, being unwell etc.). - Early satiety: feeling full quickly. - Changes…