From nutritional screening to assessment and nutritional planning in community, acute, and long-term care

Abstract Age-related malnutrition is the result of age-related metabolic derangements. Sarcopenia in older people is also the result of malnutrition-related metabolic changes determining the lack of long-term muscle anabolic response to nutrient intake. Frailty is associated with the presence of nutritional derangements. Nutritional screening tools and nutritional assessment in ageing take into account diagnostic parameters for detecting the risk or the presence of protein-energy malnutrition in its different forms and stages. Nutritional screening represents the first step in the nutritional care process. A full nutritional assessment is necessary if the risk of malnutrition is detected during a nutritional screening. Nutritional and metabolic interventions are recommended for all those patients identified by screening and assessment as at risk for malnutrition or malnourishment. Nutritional plans offer several options to the patients according to the clinical setting (i.e. nutritional counselling, food fortification, oral nutritional supplements, and artificial nutrition).