Reacting to the BAPEN report, Combating Malnutrition: Recommendations for Action, which shows a high number of people living in the community at risk of malnutrition, Pamela Holmes, Head of Healthy Ageing at Help the Aged, says: 

'Good nutrition is essential for good health, so it is essential that malnutrition is at the forefront of the minds of health professionals when dealing with patients. At the moment malnutrition in the community is drastically overlooked and there aren’t accurate or reliable measures in place to find out the extent of the problem.  

'Social workers, community nurses, GPs and other health professionals need to be educated and trained to spot and treat the signs of malnutrition. Screening in the community would also help – if we know what’s happening then we can decide the best way to tackle it. Treating malnutrition is not simple – it takes more than just an extra piece of fruit or a multi-vitamin tablet.  

'How people age is very much affected by the nourishment their bodies are getting – if someone is malnourished they are more likely to suffer from physical decline and less likely to recover from illness. All too often malnutrition in older people is not picked up until they arrive in hospital, putting them on the back foot for getting better. Sometimes being in hospital can even make the condition worse. Dealing with malnutrition in the community could prevent a lot of unnecessary ill health, misery and decline.'