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Nutrition therapy

Diagnosing Malnutrition

In everyday life, we don’t consider that nutrition could ever be a problem, but malnutrition, specifically undernourishment, is underestimated with more than 3 million people

in the UK being at risk6.

 

Malnutrition is defined as a state of nutritional imbalance of energy, protein, and nutrients that can lead to adverse effects on health. Undernourishment is seen as a combination of poor appetite and unintended weight loss over a period of time.

 

Malnutrition persists as a multifaceted challenge across the nation and has huge ramifications on quality of life in the community, and clinical outcomes in healthcare settings.

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Understanding the Process

Identifying undernourished patients is crucial. In cases of malnutrition, healthcare professionals will choose the most appropriate treatment and care pathway for their patient. This could include nutritional supplements, enteral nutrition and/or parenteral nutrition.

Healthcare professionals should consider parenteral nutrition in people who are malnourished or at risk of malnutrition, and who meet either of the following criteria:

  • inadequate or unsafe oral and/or enteral nutritional intake
  • a non-functional, inaccessible, or perforated (leaking) gastrointestinal tract


At B. Braun, we pride ourselves on collaboration with healthcare professionals to provide nutrition solutions that improve patients' outcomes for undernourished patients requiring parenteral nutrition. 

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Reach out for further information from our Nutrition Therapy team

Contact

XX-WEBMN-05-24

Adverse events should be reported. Reporting forms and information can be found at www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard or search for MHRA Yellow Card in the Google Play or Apple App Store. Adverse events should also be reported to B. Braun Medical Ltd (tel: 0800 298 0299)

XX-WEBNT-05-24 

References

  1. Stratton R, Smith T, Gabe S. Managing malnutrition to improve lives and save money. BAPEN. October 2018. https://www.bapen.org.uk/pdfs/reports/mag/managing-malnutrition.pdf
  2. NHS England (2015) Guidance – Commissioning Excellent Nutrition and Hydration. [Online]. Available at: https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/nut-hyd-guid.pdf [Accessed 13 September 2024]
  3. Guest, J. F., Panca, M., Baeyens, J. P., de Man, F., Ljungqvist, O., Pichard, C., … & Wilson, L., (2011). Health economic impact of managing patients following a community-based diagnosis of malnutrition in the UK. Clinical nutrition, 30(4), pp.424
  4. Guest, JF, Keating T, Gould D, et al. Modelling the annual NHS costs and outcomes attributable to healthcare-associated infections in England. BMJ Open 2020;10:e033367. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2019-033367 
  5. BAPEN (2024). Introduction to malnutrition – Who is at risk of malnutrition? BAPEN [Online]. Available at: Who is at risk of malnutrition? | BAPEN [Accessed 13 September 2024]
  6. British Dietetic Association (2024). Spotting and treating malnutrition. British Dietetic Association [Online]. Available at: https://www.bda.uk.com/resource/malnutrition.html [Accessed 13 September 2024]