Urgent Need to Eliminate Malnutrition Within Our Communities in Europe, says a Report by the European Nutrition for Health Alliance

European Nutrition for Health Alliance:

-- The quality of life of a large number of people across Europe
is severely compromised by malnutrition. One third of European
senior citizens are malnourished. Over 50 million Europeans
are at risk.

-- Malnutrition poses a tremendous burden on those affected and
their families, which translates into a significant cost to
society - a cost that exceeds that of obesity. It is an
economic imperative to reduce the incidence of malnutrition.

-- The causes of malnutrition are multi-faceted and implementing
effective solutions is complex. This can only be accomplished
through political engagement at the European, national and
community level and through raising public awareness about the
risks of malnutrition.

-- Malnutrition lacks ownership within care. Professionals and
other stakeholders across the health and social care sector
must take accountability for tackling malnutrition. A
multidisciplinary approach, with dieticians at the core, is
needed if malnutrition is to be eliminated from within our
communities.

These conclusions summarise the report of the conference 'From
Malnutrition To Wellnutrition: policy to practice', held by the
European Nutrition for Health in Brussels on 22 November, 2006.

The conference report has this week been presented to the 27
Ministers of Health of the EU, the European Commission, the European
Parliament, the World Health Organization and the Council of Europe.

What is malnutrition?

Malnutrition can be defined as an imbalance of energy, protein,
and other nutrients that causes measurable adverse effects on tissue
and body form and function as well as on clinical outcomes.

A number of European studies have shown that over 10 percent of
the European population is suffering from malnutrition(1); some
studies have estimated that as many as 55 percent of patients over the
age of 65 admitted to hospitals suffer from malnutrition.

Europe is ageing. The impact of malnutrition on national health
care systems and on European societies merits the attention and
concern of the medical and nursing professions, health care managers,
health insurers, patients, policymakers and politicians.

Yet awareness of malnutrition is low.

"Malnutrition is not on the political agenda, in most of the 27
countries of the EU nor in Brussels," says Professor Jean-Pierre
Baeyens, Chair of the European Nutrition for Health Alliance.

Malnutrition - a cost and a burden to individuals and society

Malnutrition is a burden to both individuals and their carers, as
well as to the health care system. A study from the United Kingdom
indicates that providing comprehensive nutrition support (e.g. advice
about sip foods) could save society up to EUR 12 billion per year(2) .

Based on the recommendations of the conference report, the
Alliance intends to initiate a number of actions, specifically:

-- Raise awareness - support inclusion of malnutrition in
national and EU policy and health professionals' agenda;

-- Support and promote accountability of professionals and
management for tackling malnutrition;

-- Conduct an EU-wide 'Burden of Illness' study on malnutrition;

-- Define models of best practice for effective nutritional care
delivery.

Professor Jean-Pierre Baeyens hopes this report will work as a
catalyst to build an active nutrition and health platform and turn
recommendations into action at both the EU and national levels.

(1) Stratton, R.J. ; Green, C.J.; Elia, M. (2003) Disease-related
Malnutrition: an EVIDENCE-BASED approach to treatment. See the
references country by country in the end of this press release.

(2) The Kings Fund Centre: Davis AM ; Bristow A. Managing
Nutrition in hospital. Nuffield Trust 1999;8.