Malnutrition among older people in the community: policy recommendation for change

Baeyens, Jean-Pierre, Elia, Marinos, Baroness Greengross, Sally and Lord Rea, Nicolas (eds.) (2006) Malnutrition among older people in the community: policy recommendation for change London, UK. European Nutrition for Health Alliance 24pp.

Abstract

Malnutrition in our society does not receive the attention it deserves, and is all too often overshadowed by the problem of obesity. Away from the clinical sphere, malnutrition in the community is particularly under-recognised. The risk and prevalence of malnutrition increases with age. Solving the problem of malnutrition among older people is not only a public health imperative; it could also yield important economic benefits. Finding solutions in the community is more complex than within a ‘closed’ hospital or clinical setting – it requires gathering a broad array of stakeholders, getting different professionals to work together and speak the same language. As this report conveys, malnutrition is a prime candidate for such joint thinking: its roots are social as well as clinical, and addressing it requires solutions that span across the social and health fields. The critical and growing role played by the voluntary sector, community service providers, and informal carers must also be taken into consideration in any proposed solutions. We are grateful to all the individuals (listed in the Appendix) who gathered together to try to build a platform for discussing this critical topic. Treatable malnutrition is unacceptable in our wealthy societies. It is only through true partnerships and committed resources that we will be able to prevent malnutrition and treat it effectively.

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