F11 · Poor appetite
Actual Food and fluids
Definition
The person has little desire to eat, so intake falls.- Illness
- depression
- medicines
- dental problems
- loneliness
- Leaves food on the plate
- says not hungry
- early fullness
- weight drop
📋 Scenario
An older woman living alone pushes her dinner away every day.
Subjective (S): "Nothing tastes good and I'm never hungry."
Objective (O): Leaves most meals; eats about 25% of dinner; lives alone; weight down 2 kg in a month.
Assessment tools for this scenario: CP-FLUID Fluid Balance & Nutrition Score
Validated scales to consider: MUST, fluid chart, glucose
**CarePath diagnosis:** Poor appetite related to illness, as evidenced by leaves food on the plate and says not hungry.
**Interventions and rationale**
| Intervention | Rationale |
|---|---|
| Find the cause. | Appetite loss can come from nausea, pain, medicines or low mood, so treating the cause works better than just urging her to eat. |
| Offer favorite foods and small meals. | Favorite foods and small meals are more appealing and less overwhelming. |
| Make meals pleasant. | A pleasant setting and company make eating more enjoyable and raise intake. |
| Treat nausea or mouth pain. | Nausea and mouth pain make eating unpleasant, so relieving them removes a barrier. |
| Involve family and dietitian. | Family can give company and help at home, and the dietitian plans her nutrition. |
**Expected outcomes**
- Within 1 week: eats at least 50% of meals and weight stable.
- Patient names 3 foods she can manage and has a plan for meals at home.
**Linking the data to the diagnosis**
The older woman lives alone and pushes her dinner away every day. She eats about 25% of dinner, leaves most meals and has lost 2 kg in a month. She says nothing tastes good and she is never hungry. This is an actual problem because the lack of appetite is already reducing her intake. Not eating enough to meet body needs is a close statement, but this one targets the cause, loss of desire to eat, so it fits better. The plan aims for at least 50% of meals eaten and stable weight within 1 week, three manageable foods named, and a plan for meals at home.
CarePath diagnosis
Poor appetite related to illness, as evidenced by leaves food on the plate and says not hungry.
Interventions and rationale
Listed in priority order.
| Intervention | Rationale |
|---|---|
| 1. Find the cause. | Appetite loss can come from nausea, pain, medicines or low mood, so treating the cause works better than just urging her to eat. |
| 2. Offer favorite foods and small meals. | Favorite foods and small meals are more appealing and less overwhelming. |
| 3. Make meals pleasant. | A pleasant setting and company make eating more enjoyable and raise intake. |
| 4. Treat nausea or mouth pain. | Nausea and mouth pain make eating unpleasant, so relieving them removes a barrier. |
| 5. Involve family and dietitian. | Family can give company and help at home, and the dietitian plans her nutrition. |
Expected outcomes
- Within 1 week: eats at least 50% of meals and weight stable.
- Patient names 3 foods she can manage and has a plan for meals at home.
Linking the data to the diagnosis
The older woman lives alone and pushes her dinner away every day. She eats about 25% of dinner, leaves most meals and has lost 2 kg in a month. She says nothing tastes good and she is never hungry. This is an actual problem because the lack of appetite is already reducing her intake. Not eating enough to meet body needs is a close statement, but this one targets the cause, loss of desire to eat, so it fits better. The plan aims for at least 50% of meals eaten and stable weight within 1 week, three manageable foods named, and a plan for meals at home.