What is malnutrition

Malnutrition occurs when people / patients are not able to meet their nutritional needs via the normal diet due to diseases, ageing and/or side-effects of medical treatment (e.g. cancer).

Malnutrition, also called undernutrition or disease/old-age-related malnutrition, is a condition where patients are not getting the right nutrition in the right amount to sustain their health. 

Malnutrition is a condition that affects 33 million people in Europe.

Malnutrition can affect everyone, including:

• 1 in 3 patients in care homes
•  1 in 3 older people living independently
• 1 in 4 patients in hospitals
• 1 in 3 cancer patients
  

Malnutrition is associated with higher complications rate and risk of infections, longer hospital stays and increased mortality. Malnutrition costs an estimated €170 billion a year to European countries.

Below you can find an MNI Infographic that summarises the prevalence, consequences, and estimated costs of malnutrition and it highlights recommendations to tackle it.