Introduction. Ageing of the population is a serious problem of the modern world. This process is often associated with abnormal nutritional status which affects the health of elderly people. Therefore, it is very important to assess the nutritional status of the elderly. Aim. The objective of the research was to assess the nutritional status of the elderly patients hospitalized at the surgical ward. Material and Methods. The study involved 55 patients (27 women and 28 men) at the Department of General, Oncological and Colorectal Surgery of the J. Strus Multidisciplinary Municipal Hospital. Respondents were hospitalized for diagnostic reasons or were expecting surgery. The MNA (Mini Nutritional Assessment)form was used to conduct the research. Results. Analysis of the results indicated that 47% of the respondents (N = 26) were at risk of malnutrition and 53% (N = 29) had proper nutritional status. Abnormal nutritional status concerned mainly women. All subjects at the age of 85 years and over belonged to the group with malnutrition. Co-morbidities, such as cancer and depression, also a had negative impact on nutritional status. Conclusions. 1) There is a justifi ed need of monitoring the nutritional status of the elderly as plenty of them are at risk of malnutrition. 2) Nutritional status of the elderly is infl uenced by many, both external and internal factors. 3) The risk of malnutrition increases with patients’ age.

Key words: nutritional status, malnutrition, the elderly.