The IAPEN INDIA Association for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition Chennai Declaration on the Fundamental Right to Nutritional Care of Patients Under Treatment

Malnutrition can be defined as a state of nutrition in which a deficiency or excess or imbalance of energy, protein, and other nutrients cause measurable adverse effects on body tissues, eventually affecting the quality of life and clinical outcome. Malnutrition is associated with many adverse outcomes both in the community as well as in clinical settings; including a suppressed immune system, impaired wound healing, muscle wasting, extended periods of hospital stay, and increased mortality. Undetected malnutrition not only enhances the risk of adverse complications for patients but impacts negatively with an increase in health care costs. This can be prevented if protocol prioritized attention is given to their nutritional care. Achievement of good nutrition is important and is a must in overall healthcare, hence, all stakeholders should be updated regarding the management of malnutrition and challenges encountered. It’s time we start, mobilize everyone and engage governments, policymakers, gain national and global cooperation to address the issue of malnutrition in healthcare settings. The objective of this specialist declaration is to provide evidence-based recommendations for the proper management of malnutrition by a multi-parametric approach starting with the screening of all patients by trained healthcare professionals with easy-to-use validated screening tools. Nutrition screening is the first step towards identifying patients at risk and requiring intervention at the earliest. Only a few accredited hospitals have nutrition screening at the time of reporting as a protocol. The timing of recognizing the presence of malnutrition or at-risk is of paramount importance to reverse the deteriorating nutritional status before the patient becomes cachectic. Keywords: Nutrition care, Malnutrition, Prevention, Clinical nutrition, Human right to nutrition care, Screening, Assessment, Dietitian