Nutritional screening is a quick, simple and validated process to identify individuals at risk of malnutrition or who are already malnourished. It is the first step in the nutritional care pathway and determines whether further nutritional assessment is needed.

• Quick and easy to perform
• Can be completed by non-specialist staff (e.g., nurses)
• Uses standardized tools
• Facilitates early intervention and improves outcomes

• MUST (Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool): for general adult population
• NRS-2002 (Nutritional Risk Screening): for hospitalized patients
• MNA (Mini Nutritional Assessment): specific for older adults
• SGA (Subjective Global Assessment): hybrid between screening and assessment

• BMI (Body Mass Index)
• Recent weight loss (amount and time frame)
• Reduced dietary intake
• Impact of acute or chronic illness
• Appetite or functional decline

Nutritional screening is essential in multiple settings:

• In hospitals: reduces complications, infections, and length of stay
• In primary care: identifies at-risk elderly or chronically ill patients
• In surgical care: optimizes preoperative and postoperative recovery

• Refer for comprehensive nutritional assessment
• Initiate nutritional intervention (oral supplements, enteral or parenteral support)
• Ensure monitoring and follow-up

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• malnutrition
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