Nutritional Deficiency and Malnutrition

Nutritional deficiency and malnutrition are widespread in older people and if untreated lead to negative clinical outcomes. The etiology of malnutrition in older age is multifactorial including physiological, disease-related, psychological, functional, and socio-economic risk factors. Routine screening with validated tools and subsequent thorough nutritional assessment aimed at quantifying the energy and nutrient deficits and identifying the causes are the basis for targeted individualized nutritional therapy. Available strategies include nutritional counseling, food modification, oral nutritional supplements, tube and parenteral feeding as well as mealtime assistance, environmental adaptions, and elimination of causes of malnutrition. These diverse treatment approaches make the involvement of different disciplines desirable, namely, dietitians, nursing and kitchen staff, medical doctors, and therapists (speech, occupational, physio), all of whom have an important role in achieving the targeted treatment goals.