A new awareness campaign of the Irish Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (IrSPEN) is highlighting the risks of malnourishment during illness.

During Malnutrition Awareness Week, nutrition and medical experts in Ireland and across Europe are aiming to raise awareness of unintentional weight loss and why it should never be overlooked.

IrSPEN wants to make patients aware that ‘malnutrition worsens disease’, while calling for nutritional care to be given far greater priority as part of a patient’s treatment, in every care setting.



Consultant gastroenterologist and IrSPEN spokesperson Dr Karen Boland said awareness is still low of the risks posed by inadequate nutritional intake in someone with a serious or chronic illness.