How often should body weight be measured?

Body weight should be measured and documented at least once a week. The documentation is relevant in order to be able to estimate the progression of the weight. In ALS, there is a risk of weight loss, which can be caused by the metabolic changes in ALS (increased resting metabolic rate), by a swallowing disorder (and thus reduced food intake) and by other factors (e.g. difficult eating due to hand and arm paresis).

The weight check can be an important decision-making aid for the initiation of nutritional therapy (e.g. for the prescription of a high-calorie drinking diet). In ALS outpatient clinics, body weight is also measured at every appointment and documented in the electronic patient file. As outpatient appointments are made at intervals of 3-6 months, independent weight documentation is particularly important in order to be able to recognize undesirable weight loss at an early stage.