From Monday 4th October to Friday 8th October 2021, we’re pulling out all the stops to raise awareness of malnutrition, not only amongst health care professionals, but the general public, too. And we want YOU to play a part.
Up to 40% of hospital patients (1) and up to 50% of nursing home residents (2) are thought to be malnourished. Part of the challenge is awareness, both amongst clinicians and the public.
Malnutrition Week ANZ is a dedicated time to bring attention to the staggering rates of malnutrition in Australian and New Zealand communities and healthcare settings. It is your opportunity to band together with your nutrition colleagues to get involved and raise awareness of the important and necessary work being done in the malnutrition space. Start the conversation with your multidisciplinary health care colleagues and spread the word: malnutrition impacts lives. We need to make a difference.
Our theme for 2021 is:
Malnutrition is everybody’s business.
The campaign spotlights the shared responsibility of healthcare staff, families and patients to identify, treat and prevent malnutrition. We hope you’ll stand with us in taking action to diagnose and treat malnutrition – or better yet, prevent malnutrition altogether.
Malnutrition Week ANZ 2021 is supported by:
Click here to see outcomes from Malnutrition Week ANZ 2020
How can I get involved?
It’s easy! The more people talking about malnutrition, the louder the message. Get together with your colleagues and choose something from our list of ideas or come up with your own. We have developed a range of FREE resources for you to use, so all you need is a bit of manpower and some enthusiasm.
Free webinar series for multidisciplinary teams
As part of Malnutrition Week ANZ, we’re giving you the professional development you need and want with a series of free educational webinars on malnutrition, presented by leading international malnutrition experts.
Monday 27th September
12:30 – 1:30pm (AEST)
Supported by Nestlé Health Science
Tuesday 28th September
7:00 – 8:00pm (AEST)
Supported by Fresubin
Wednesday 29th September
12:30 – 1:30pm (AEST)
Supported by Delical
Thursday 30th September
12:30 – 1:30pm (AEST)
Supported by Dairy Australia
Friday 1st October
12:30 – 1:30pm (AEST)
Supported by Abbott
Monday 4th October
7:00 – 8:00pm (AEDT)
Supported by Baxter Healthcare
Wednesday 6th October
12:30 – 1:30pm (AEDT)
Posters and flyers for healthcare professionals
We’ve developed a suite of flyers and social media graphics on malnutrition for you to download. Please share them with your hospital department, aged care colleagues, on your social media channels and anywhere else you see fit.
Please note images should be used in their entirety and not be edited
Posters and flyers for patients and their families
We’ve developed a suite of flyers on malnutrition for you to download. Please share them with your patients and their families, on your social media channels and anywhere else you see fit.
Please note images should be used in their entirety and not be edited
Other resources for healthcare professionals
Social media tiles for you to use on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter
Square images (1000 x 1000 px)
Please note images should be used in their entirety and not be edited
WIN: four tickets to Dietitians Unite!
There’s a stack of good reasons to get involved in Malnutrition Week ANZ, but one of them is this: the organisation or group that hosts the most innovative malnutrition awareness activity will win four tickets to our annual conference, Dietitians Unite on 20th May 2022.
To enter the giveaway, simply snap a photo of your malnutrition awareness initiative and post it on Instagram with the hashtag #malnutritionweekanz and tag @dietitianconnection. If you’re not on social media, send your photograph to [email protected] along with your permission for us to post it on our social media accounts.
Competition closing date extended! Competition now closes 11.59pm 22nd October 2021. Open to Australian and New Zealand dietitians only. Prize winners will be notified via email or social media and announced on Dietitian Connection channels.
Other resources
Check out resources from Nutrition and Dietetic colleagues around the world for webinars, factsheets, more ideas for events and activities.
Victorian Cancer Malnutrition Collaborative resources
The CanEAT pathway (resources for consumers and HP)
The online, interactive Malnutrition Screening Tool (MST) in 10 languages (tool for consumers and HP)
Preventing weight loss for people with cancer in 10 languages (resource for consumers)
Preventing weight loss: why is it important for people with cancer in 10 languages (resource for HP
Malnutrition in Cancer eLearning program (eLearning program for HP including a new short course)
Share your activities on social media (be sure to tag us @DietitianConnection and use the hashtag #MalnutritionWeekANZ)
Malnutrition Week ANZ 2021 is supported by:
Abbott creates breakthrough products that help people lead healthier lives, full of possibilities. Abbott offers a wide range of oral nutritional supplements (ONS), disease-specific supplements and enteral feeds to help every patient navigate their nutritional needs.
New Ensure Plus Strength is the only high energy, high protein multi-nutrient ONS in Australia enriched with HMB which helps protect and preserve muscle mass (3-6). Find out more including the ‘5 times Chair Stand Test’ to check muscle strength.
Food for special medical purposes.
ANZ.2021.17959.ENS.1 (v1.2)
Through their Mission of Saving and Sustaining Lives, Baxter Healthcare is committed to improving outcomes for patients, and helping healthcare professionals meet the evolving challenges and opportunities around the world. Their work includes educating patients and healthcare professionals, to share best practices and enhance patient safety and drive improved patient outcomes. Baxter proudly supports best practice in critical care nutrition through the provision of the broadest range of PN solutions along with innovative metabolic monitoring technology.
Milk, cheese and yoghurt play an integral role in healthy ageing thanks to their unique nutritional and physical structures. However, only 1% of older adults are getting enough from the dairy food group every day (7). These foods offer a tasty and affordable way to reduce malnutrition in older adults.
Introducing DELICAL Oral Nutritional Supplements (ONS) – No.1 ONS brand in France^, now launching in Australia!
Delical offers a variety of great tasting oral nutrition supplement options for individuals unable to meet their nutritional needs through diet alone.
The Delical range includes high-protein high-calorie ready-to-drink beverages – Delical Concentrate (2.3kcal/mL), Delical Milky (1.8kcal/mL) and Delical Fruity juice. The range comes in a variety of delicious flavours, combining nutrition and great taste.
Dineamic makes the best ready meals. Dietitian and nutritionist approved, Dineamic can cater to a range of dietary preferences and lifestyles, including low FODMAP, dairy free, gluten-free, high protein and low calorie. Easy to order and delivered right to your door, Dineamic can help your clients feel healthier and happier through nutritious ready meals they’ll actually enjoy eating.
As only nutrition which is actually consumed can support patients, compliance is one of the key topics for the research and application in the development of Fresubin. The large and comprehensive Fresubin product range considers all needs of all users, including the easy handling, taste and texture. Alongside their home service, StrengthHEN, Fresenius Kabi goes the extra mile to ensure the right nutrition is delivered to the right patient at the right time.
Nestlé Health Science listen to the insights and feedback from the dietetics community, and respond by launching innovative new products that address the unique nutritional needs of patients, residents and community members. A recent innovation is the launch of RESOURCE® ULTRA Clear Fruit Flavoured Beverage, a pleasant tasting high energy, high protein (100% whey) clear fluid nutritional supplement for the dietary management of malnutrition, providing a refreshing alternative to milky supplements without compromising protein and calorie delivery.*
1. Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care 2018. Hospital-Acquired Complication: MALNUTRITION. https://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/sites/default/files/ migrated/SAQ7730_HAC_Malnutrition_LongV2.pdf
2. Dietitians Australia 2019. Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety. https://dietitiansaustralia.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/DAA_Royal-Commission-Aged- Care_Mar-2019_Final.pdf
3. Abbott Data on file
4. Deutz N E et al. Clin Nutr 2016;35(1):18–26.
5. Ekinci O et al. Nutr Clin Pract 2016;31(6):829-835.
6. Malafarina V et al. Maturitas 2017;101:42–50
7. Australian adults aged over 70. Australian Bureau of Statistics. 4364.0.55.012. Australia Health Survey: Consumption of food groups from the Australian Dietary Guidelines, 2011-2012. Canberra 2016.
*RESOURCE® ULTRA Clear Fruit Flavoured Beverage is a food for special medical purposes specifically formulated for medical conditions where nutritional needs cannot be met through diet modification alone. Must be used under medical supervision.
^Data accessed April 2021 https://www.openhealth.fr/
Dietitian Connection has partnered with ASPEN, the American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition, for ASPEN Malnutrition Awareness Week on October 4-8, 2021.
As a Malnutrition Awareness Week ambassador, we have complimentary access to ASPEN’s educational webinars and resources on malnutrition.
The webinars have limited capacity so register now to reserve your spot. Enter code MAW-DC to receive a 100% discount. Continuing education credit is available for most of the webinars. ASPEN is accredited to provide medical, pharmacy, nursing and dietetic credits.
Join the conversation online by using the hashtag #ASPENMAW21. For more information and to register, click here.