Malnutrition and frailty in older adults: Clinical insights for GPs

Prof Carol Wham

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Prof Carol Wham

Dietitian; Professor Emerita of Public Health Nutrition at Massey University, New Zealand

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Prof Carol Wham

Malnutrition in older adults is not an isolated issue, but an important contributor to poor outcomes and health service use. It is associated with a more than threefold higher risk of developing sarcopenia1, while older adults with frailty are over five times more likely to be malnourished2.

Malnutrition is linked with a wide range of issues commonly seen in general practice—including functional decline, falls and fractures, delayed wound healing, and depression. It adversely impacts quality of life and independence, while increasing mortality risk3.

Despite these consequences, malnutrition is frequently under‑recognised and under‑treated in routine clinical practice. With up to two-thirds of community-dwelling older Australians at risk, proactive screening and intervention are essential to target modifiable factors.

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References

  1. Beaudart C, et al. Nutrients. 2019;11(12):2883.
  2. Norazman CW, et al. Nutrients. 2020;12(6):1713.
  3. Roberts S, et al. Nutrients. 2021;13(7):2316.
  4. McElnay C, et al. J Prim Health Care. 2012;4(4):299‑305.
  5. Watson S et al. Nutr Diet. 2010;67:84‑89.
  6. Keller HH, et al. Can J Diet Pract Res. 2003;64(4):195‑201.
  7. Wham CA, et al. J Nutr Health Aging. 2015;19(6):637‑45.
  8. Chatindiara I, et al. J Prim Health Care. 2020;12(4):305‑317.
  9. Keller HH, et al. Can J Public Health. 2023;114(4):593‑612.
  10. Power L, et al. Clin Nutr ESPEN. 2018;24:1‑13.
  11. Winter JE, et al. Am J Clin Nutr. 2014;99(4):875‑890.
  12. Li M, et al. Nutrients. 2021;13(3):835.
  13. Reinders I, et al. Clin Nutr. 2019;38(4):1797‑1806.
  14. O’Brien WJ, et al. J Prim Health Care. 2022;14(4):363‑367.
  15. Cawood AL, et al. Ageing Res Rev. 2023;88:101953.
  16. Walton K, et al. J Hum Nutr Diet. 2020;33(1):38‑47.

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Prof Carol Wham

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Prof Carol Wham

Dietitian; Professor Emerita of Public Health Nutrition at Massey University, New Zealand

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