Malnutrition is a public health problem

Professor Marinos Elia, MAG

Figures also paint a bleak picture for the elderly in nursing residential homes, where one in five are malnourished.

The MAG highlighted the problem at a meeting attended by politicians and health professionals in London on Wednesday.

The MAG says its statistics, an analysis of data obtained from the National Nutrition and Diet Survey figures from 1998 show malnutrition is a major problem amongst the UK's 9m people who are aged 65 or over.

The MAG is calling for routine nutritional screening of malnutrition in both hospitals and the community, and it wants national standards for the detection and management of malnutrition.

'Public health problem'

The report estimates malnutrition costs �2bn to �4bn annually, mainly through increased rates of hospital admission and length of hospital stay.

Elderly people may eat badly because they are ill, they may be unable to get to the shops, or be unable to prepare food for themselves.

Malnutrition can prevent people recovering from illness, and make them more prone to developing more health problems.

It can have a range of consequences, from adverse physical effects such as fatigue, to psychological problems including depression and anxiety.

Research highlighted by the MAG estimated malnutrition is missed in up to 70% of hospital patients and 45% of outpatients.

'Shocking'

Professor Marinos Elia, chairman of the MAG, part of the British Association for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition, told BBC News Online: "Malnutrition is a public health problem.

"Much emphasis has been placed on the issue of obesity, but when you look at vulnerable groups, such as the elderly, malnutrition is a serious problem."

A spokeswoman for Age Concern England called the statistics "shocking and unacceptable".

She added: "In the UK malnutrition is a major health problem and older people are particularly at risk.

"Nutrition is a key factor determining older people's quality of life and as such we believe that co-ordinated action is needed nationally and locally to make sure that barriers to nutrition are eliminated and older people's needs are assessed and met."

Speaking at the launch of the MAG report, Dr Evan Harris MP, Liberal Democrat Health spokesman, said: "This is a huge public health challenge and malnutrition itself is a leading example of unacceptable health inequalities.

"The government's failure to address this issue, other than by stunts with celebrity chefs in hospital is a clear indication of their failure to address the public health of the nation."

Pam Miller, chairman of the Hospital Caterers Association, said: "Poor hospital food is often cited as the cause of malnutrition amongst hospital patients.

"But this is not the reality and hospital catering has all too often been the fall guy for an inadequate screening system which has allowed at risk patients to slip through the net."

She said defeating malnutrition would only be possible through effective screening, good communication between health services and close monitoring throughout a patient's hospital stay.