NUTRITION MONTH

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"NutritionDay Worldwide" is a large scale, worldwide action project designed to reduce disease-related malnutrition among hospitalised patients and nursing home residents. The aim of this project is to increase awareness and knowledge regarding disease-related malnutrition in hospitalised patients and the elderly.

In 1977 poor nutritional status and malnutrition was already detected in surgical patients.Still, disease-related malnutrition is a much underrated public health issue and has also become an enormous economical concern. It is estimated that over 50 million Europeans are at risk. A study performed in the UK in 2005 estimated the cost of malnutrition to the UK to be €10.6 b per year, double the projected €5.1 b cost of obesity. Two population groups are at particularly high risk: hospitalized patients and residents of nursing homes.

Disease-related malnutrition can be responsible for a prolonged hospital stay, morbidity and premature mortality in hospitalized patients. Research has shown that approximately 31% of all hospitalized patients can be considered malnourished or at nutritional risk.

Previous nutritionDay studies have shown that malnutrition is a major health concern that still gets too little attention in hospitals and nursing homes. Malnutrition, as it has been shown in many studies, increases infection rates, affects the patient's wound healing, leads to cardiac complications, and also prolongs hospital stay.

Generally health care focuses mainly on the increasing incidence of obesity. Initially, health providers believed only patients with low body weight or low body mass index (BMI < 18.5 kg/m2) could be malnourished. However, studies show that BMI is not always a good parameter to detect malnutrition, and other screening tools should be used. Analysis shows that a high percentage of body fat reduces the sensitivity of BMI to detect nutritional depletion.

Internationally, the issue of disease-related malnutrition was raised in various forums, most clearly in the adoption of a resolution by the Council of Europe. Resolution ResAP (2003)3 on Food and Nutritional Care in Hospitals of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe emphasizes inter alia the unacceptable number of undernourished people in hospitals and the beneficial effects of adequate food service and nutritional care in hospitals on patients’ recovery and quality of life. The resolution identifies a long list of actions to be undertaken to remedy the situation.