The EU NCD Initiative – Healthier Together – addresses five strands: a) cardiovascular diseases, b) diabetes, c) chronic respiratory diseases, d) mental health and neurological disorders, e) health determinants.
MNI contributed to this consultation by addressing malnutrition as a health determinant, as well as a consequence of a non-communicable disease.
Malnutrition occurs when 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 is a condition characterized by inadequate intake of energy, protein, and/or micronutrients as a result of a diverse number of diseases; it is common across a variety of patient groups, e.g. in patients with gastrointestinal, respiratory and neurological disease; and it impacts individuals at all stages of life, from infancy to old age.
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. Furthermore, malnutrition costs an estimated €170 billion a year to European countries.
Read MNI contribution to the EU NCD Initiative Healthier Together