This week is Malnutrition Awareness Week and Alliance Rehabilitation is passionate about providing support and education for our participants. This week raises awareness and increases the understanding of malnutrition within our community. The aim is to make identifying the signs, symptoms, and risks of malnutrition easier, to increase early prevention and encourage people to seek help.

Malnutrition is a serious condition which can occur if a person is unable to meet their nutritional needs, such as not enough calories, protein, carbohydrates, fats, and vitamins and minerals. A person can become malnourished for many reasons. However, the risk is much higher if they do not eat enough, eat the right types of food, or if their body is not able to effectively absorb certain nutrients.

Malnutrition is linked to poor health and can occur in anybody who is not receiving the right balance of nutrients to function optimally. It can also occur more commonly in hospital and aged care settings. Malnutrition can cause long term health problems which is why early detection and prevention is key.

People who have become malnourished are likely to lose weight, body fat, or muscle mass which can impact their daily activities and quality of life. Having the input of a multidisciplinary allied health team, especially an Accredited Practising Dietitian, can increase a persons’ chance of recovery, decrease their chance of re-admission or developing a secondary illness, and help someone on their journey to total wellbeing.

Eating a well-balanced diet is important to your health and overall quality of life. Most people do not recognise the signs and symptoms of malnutrition or know it can occur in any body shape or size.

Signs and Symptoms of Malnourishment

Signs and symptoms of malnourishment can include:

  • Unintentional weight loss
  • Increase in falls
  • Reduced appetite, or loss of interest in foods you once enjoyed
  • Lethargy and weakness
  • Recurrent illness and longer recovery
  • Hair loss
  • Poor wound healing
  • Constipation and dehydration
  • Low mood or depression
  • Poor concentration
  • Developmental and growth issues in children

It can be difficult to identify malnutrition, but many environmental and societal factors can play a part in a person becoming malnourished.

This may include:

  • An elderly person with an acute illness
  • A person with dementia
  • Physical disabilities
  • Respiratory illnesses – COPD
  • Eating Disorders
  • Stress or low mood leading to an increase in eating out, or low interest in food
  • Medication that decreases appetite
  • Food insecurity or poverty
  • Confusion around what foods provide appropriate nutrients
  • Dislike of cooking
  • Loss of appetite
  • Alcohol or drug dependency
  • Difficulty chewing or swallowing (dysphagia)
  • Increased energy needs (illness, exercise)
  • Living alone/ social isolation
  • Teeth in poor condition or loose dentures

Engaging with Alliance Rehabilitation gives you access to a multidisciplinary team who will ensure you are achieving optimal health and total wellbeing.  Our goal-oriented therapy is customised to each individual, so you are receiving the best care for your situation and needs. Malnutrition is multifactorial and therefore needs a multidisciplinary approach for the best chance of recovery.

Dietetics and Nutrition

An Accredited Practising Dietitian (APD) is a nutrition expert who can help you to address any nutritional concerns you may have. They can assess your health conditions, work with you and your family to set realistic and achievable goals, devise a treatment plan to optimise your diet quality, and help improve your overall nutritional status.

Our dietitians are skilled at addressing any underlying causes you identify together as the source of your malnutrition.

Treatment options can include:

  • In depth nutrition assessments
  • Recommend Oral Nutrition Supplements to increase your nutrient intake towards requirements (if required)
  • Education and assistance if you are PEG or NG tube feeding
  • Strategies and tips to optimise your intake towards requirements while managing symptoms such as low appetite, early satiety (feeling full), nausea, and gastrointestinal issues
  • Monitoring and/or optimising your fluid intake
  • Monitoring and/or management of of weight and muscle mass
  • Assist with optimising eating behaviours to reach nutritional requirements
  • Providing targeted dietetic advice to better manage low appetite and gastrointestinal complaints
  • Our Allied Health Assistants implement malnutrition screening tools, to determine an individual’s risk of malnutrition and advocate for dietetics supports
  • Optimising dietary intake to support chronic disease management
  • Provide practical meal preparation recommendations to assist with achieving your goals

A dietitian provides expert nutritional support and is a crucial role in treating and managing malnutrition. They are able to educate other health professionals, carers/family, and individuals in how to identify signs of malnutrition. They empower people to manage the condition and improve their nutritional status which enhances quality of life.

Exercise Physiology

Malnutrition diminishes a persons’ muscle strength which leads to falls and frailty. An Accredited Exercise Physiologist can work with you to identify any deficits and work towards your goals, without impacting your ability to regain the nutrients lost.

Occupational Therapy

Malnutrition causes low energy and can impact cognitive function which affects how you live your day to day life. An Occupational Therapist can help identify any issues you may have with completing activities of daily and work towards improvements. This can include support with cooking, preparing grocery lists, daily scheduling (including grocery shopping and structured eating patterns), as well as any required adjustments needed in the home to assist with daily activities.

Physiotherapy

Malnutrition can cause you to lose a lot of energy, muscle strength, and muscle mass. By working with a Physiotherapist, they can help you to maintain your physical strength without burning you out while you recover.

Psychology

Malnutrition can increase your risk of mental health concerns and can be associated with other issues being treated at the same time, such as Stroke Recovery, Parkinson’s Disease, or Autism Spectrum Disorder. A psychologist can help you manage your low mood or anxiety surrounding malnutrition by giving you the tools and strategies you need to recover.

Speech Pathology

Speech disorders which affect your chewing and swallowing can raise your risk of becoming malnourished. Seeing a Speech Pathologist can help you to target any deficits to decrease your risk of this occurring.

By engaging with a multidisciplinary team in your community you will find that prevention and recovery are within reach. Alliance Rehabilitation are here to help you live a healthier and happier life. Awareness of malnutrition is crucial. Increased screening and better prevention measures will equate to a better quality of life and your total wellbeing. Contact us today to get started.

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References
Dietitians Australia. (2020). Malnutrition – who is at risk and things to consider. Retrieved from https://dietitiansaustralia.org.au/smart-eating-for-you/smart-eating-fast-facts/medical/malnutrition-who-is-at-risk-and-things-to-consider/
International Council on Active Aging. (2017). How to take action during Malnutrition Awareness Week. Retrieved from https://www.icaa.cc/blog/2017-09/How-to-take-action-during-Malnutrition-Awareness-Week.htm
VMCH. (2020). Malnutrition Week – A VMCH Dietitian’s Insight. Retrieved from https://vmch.com.au/blog/malnutrition-week-a-vmch-dietitians-insight/
WDTV. (2020). What is Malnutrition? Retrieved from https://www.wdtv.com/2020/10/02/house-call-what-is-malnutrition/ 

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