This study aimed to investigate the impact of nutritional care on improving food intake (AI) of patients admitted to an emergency unit. 49 patients admitted to the Emergency Department were evaluated, where nutritional assessment (body mass index and subjective assessment according to age) and AI assessment were performed. Patients with decreased AI were submitted to individualized nutritional intervention. There was a predominance of risk of hospital malnutrition by subjective assessment. It was observed that the reduced AI was caused mainly by the difficulty of chewing and the decrease in appetite. After the nutritional intervention, there was an increase in acceptance of the hospital diet, as well as an increase in the caloric intake. It is concluded that there is a predominance of risk of malnutrition in patients admitted to the Emergency Unit and that low food acceptance is imminent, and nutritional care in these patients can be a simple and effective strategy to overcome this situation.