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.