Many methods of evaluating malnutrition have been proposed that combine
multiple components such as dietary and medical history, amount of weight
loss, biochemical variables, and anthropometry. The Subjective Global
Assessment (SGA), first described by Baker et al in 1982, SGA was introduced
to assess the patient for malnutrition at the bedside, without the need for
precise body composition analysis. Since it was developed, the SGA has been
used in various different patient populations, including surgical and oncology
patients. It remains the most reliable and efficient method of nutrition
assessment. The authors present a review of the SGA and how it has been used
in a variety of areas within medicine.
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