Malnutrition and Unplanned Weight Loss

Malnutrition means your diet is not meeting your nutritional needs, whether because you are not eating enough, not eating the right things, or not absorbing what you eat.^1,2 The sign people notice first is weight loss nobody planned, often with clothes becoming loose.¹ Other signs are loss of appetite, muscle wasting, weakness and falls, wounds that will not heal, pale skin, hair loss and confusion.^1,2 It is a serious problem among older Australians, and around half of older people in aged care and in the community are malnourished or at risk.²

It gets missed because unplanned weight loss is treated as normal ageing, and it is not.² Dementia, dental problems, trouble swallowing, chronic illness, medicines that blunt appetite, grief, isolation, and difficulty shopping or cooking all contribute.^1,2 People living with overweight or obesity can be malnourished too, so weight alone does not settle the question.¹ The consequences include muscle wasting, weakness, falls, wounds that will not heal and repeated infections.^1,2 Dietitians Australia calls for mandatory malnutrition screening with regular rescreening of residents in aged care.³

Treatment is food first. A dietitian assesses what you are eating, then builds energy and protein back in with small frequent meals, full cream dairy, nuts, eggs, cheese and added oils and cream, and keeps drinks between meals so they do not fill you up.^1,2 Oral nutrition supplements are added when food alone cannot do it.¹ Protein needs rise with age, so people over seventy need more per kilogram of body weight than younger adults, and resistance exercise alongside protein limits muscle loss.⁴ Your GP reviews medicines and orders blood tests.¹