Professional Resources
- This article in BMC Geriatrics examined mentions of malnutrition, frailty, and obesity in the multi-year aging plans required in every state to spend federal funds that foster healthy aging, including support of congregate/home delivered meals programs(Older Americans Act (OAA) nutrition programs).
- Published: 2022
- This article in the Journal of Elder Policy outlines the interrelation of older adult malnutrition and food insecurity with COVID-19, summarizes and gives examples of community-based nutrition programs that refocused some of their services during the COVID-19 pandemic, and explores pre- and post-COVID-19 policy actions and opportunities for improving the nutrition, health, and well-being of community-dwelling older Americans.
- Published: 2021
Identifying Nutrition Risk in a Charitable Pharmacy Population
- The study published in the Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved was performed using a malnutrition screening tool developed by the Ohio Malnutrition Prevention Workgroup. The tool is the first of its kind to screen for both food insecurity and malnutrition risk.
- Published: 2021
- The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics released a supplement to the September Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics on the Malnutrition Quality Improvement Initiative (MQii). The articles and abstracts featured in this supplement highlight the impact of malnutrition quality improvement on interdisciplinary patient care and clinical nutrition practice.
- Published: 2019
- The start of a new Congressional session is an opportunity to highlight issues that can improve the health of our nation. Identifying and treating malnutrition warrants the attention of health care providers and our country's policymakers. This article reviews opportunities to improve malnutrition policy.
- Published: 2019
- Protein energy malnutrition (PEM) and frailty are frequently unidentified and untreated in community settings across the United States. This article reviews the validity, reliability, and feasibility of screening tools for identifying PEM and frailty risk among community-dwelling older adults.
- Published: 2019
- Disease-associated malnutrition is a prevalent condition, but there is limited evidence on the state-level burden. This study aims to examine and quantify the state-level economic burden of disease associated malnutrition.
- Published: 2016
- This poster was presented at the Gerontological Society of America (GSA) Conference.
- Published: 2015
- This article reviews the important role that physicians play in recognizing malnutrition diagnostic criteria and making appropriate recommendations to ensure proper nutrition following inpatient stays.
- Published: 2015
Economic burden of community-based disease-associated malnutrition in the United States
- This study measured the economic burden of community-based disease-associated malnutrition (DAM) in the United States.
- Published: 2014
Comments & Letters
2023:
2022:
- Statement for the Record, Senate Aging Committee: Setting the Table: Promoting Healthy and Affordable Food for Older Americans
- Comment on AHRQ on Person-Centered Care Planning for Multiple Chronic Conditions
- Comment to AHRQ on Pathways to Prevention (P2P) Nutrition as Prevention for Improved Cancer Health Outcomes
- Comment on federal health equity to National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
- Comment on research priorities at the USDA
- Comment on health equity in Medicare Advantage
- Comment on AHRQ Draft Nutrition and Cancer Report
- Comment 1 and Comment 2 on White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health
- Comment on CMS proposed Global Malnutrition Composite Measure
- Comment on Scientific Questions for next Dietary Guidelines for America, 2025-2030
- Comment on U.S. Preventive Services task force fall prevention
- Comment on proposed Medicare Advantage performance measures, CY23
- Comment on U.S. Preventive Services Draft Research Plan for Food Insecurity
- Tip-sheet to commenting on proposed Global Malnutrition Composite Measure-due Jun 17th
2021:
2020:
2019:
- Letter supporting the Dignity in Aging Act
- Comments on Cures 2.0 legislation
- Comments on Healthy People 2030
- Comments on Medicaid quality measures
- Comments on MIPS 2020
- Comments on Medicare Advantage/Part D 2020 proposed regs
- Letter to NM legislators
- Letter to CT legislators
- Comments to Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee
- Comments on IPPS proposed rule
- Comments on CQMC proposed approaches
- Comments on Healthy People 2030 (July)
- Comments on Quality Payment Program
- Comments on Cures 2.0 legislation
2018:
- Comments on NIH Geroscience proposal
- Comments on IMPACT Act medication management profiles
- Letter to CMS - CMS response
- Comments on Dietary Guidelines
- Comments on 2019 call letter
- Comments to ASPE RFI
- Comments to NIH
- Comments to Surgeon General Letter to HHS
- Comments to NIA
- Comments to NIH Nutrition Research Strategy
2017:
- Comments on IPPS rule
- Comments on HHS Strategic Plan
- Comment submission to MAP
- Comment submission to CMS Medicare Advantage improvements
- Comment submission to ACL OAA survey
- Comment submission to CMS QIO priorities
- Comment submission to CMS skilled nutrition facility proposed rule
- Letter to Senate Aging Committee
2016:
- Outside witness testimony FY2017 Labor-HHS appropriations submission - House, Senate
- Submission to Senate Finance Chronic Care Working Group
- Submission to Healthy People 2020
- Comment submission to CMS proposed discharge planning rules
- Comment submission to CMS hospital inpatient payment systems
- Comment submission to CMS proposed rule on critical access hospitals
- Comment submission to CMS quality measurement for dual eligibles
- Comment submission to ONC interoperability standards
Malnutrition Connections:
- December 2022 - Diversity of Research Methods Paper & Federal Older Adult Nutrition Research Agenda
- November 2022 - Malnutrition in State OAA
- September 2022 - Malnutrition Awareness week
- July/August 2022 - Global Malnutrition Composite Score Measure
- June 2022 - CRS Report on Malnutrition
- May 2022 - Roundtable on Health Equity and Malnutrition
- April 2022 - CMS Global Malnutrition Measure and how to comment
- March 2022 - Federal Advocacy Toolkits
- January-February 2022 - Advocacy for State Policies to Address Malnutrition
- December 2021 - Lessons from COVID-19
- October 2021 - Pharmacy Partnerships
- September 2021 - Malnutrition Awareness
- August 2021 - Social Determinants of Health
- July 2021 - Medical Nutrition Therapy Act
- June 2021 - Older Adult Food Insecurity
- May 2021 - State Legislative Toolkits
- April 2021 - Global Malnutrition Composite Score
- March 2021 - National Nutrition Month
- February 2021 - Dietary Guidelines for Americans and Healthy People 2030
- January 2021 - #BeANutritionNeighbor
- December 2020 - Celebrating the Success of Raising Malnutrition Awareness in 2020
- September 2020 - Malnutrition Awareness Month
- August 2020 - Advocacy and Awareness
- June 2020 - Update 2020: The National Blueprint: Achieving Quality Malnutrition Care for Older Adults
- May 2020 - Older Americans Month and #DoACOVIDCheck
- March 2020 - COVID-19
- February 2020 - WHO Decade of Healthy Aging
- January 2020 - GAO Report
- December 2019 - Building a Malnutrition Advocacy Coalition Webinar
- November 2019 - National Family Caregivers Month
- October 2019 - Malnutrition Awareness Week wrap-up
- September 2019 - Malnutrition Awareness Week
- July 2019 - USDA and HHS Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee Meeting
- June 2019 - Massachusetts Older Adult Malnutrition Awareness Week
- April/May 2019 - Older Americans Month
- March 2019 - National Nutrition Month
- January 2019 - Massachusetts Malnutrition Prevention Commission report
- October/November 2018 - State Webinar
- September 2018 - Malnutrition Awareness Week
- August 2018 - Care Transitions Dialogue
- July 2018 - Healthy Aging Summit
- June 2018 - Ohio Malnutrition Commission final report
- May 2018 - Older Americans Month
- April 2018 - Nourishing Our Golden Years Act
- February/March 2018 - Massachusetts Malnutrition Commission
- January 2018 - Malnutrition Screening and Diagnosis study
- December 2017 - Ohio Malnutrition Commission
- November 2017 - National Family Caregivers Month
- October 2017 - Malnutrition Awareness Week resources
- September 2017 - Malnutrition Awareness Week
- August 2017 - State-Level Actions and Activities
- July 2017 - CRS Memo on Malnutrition
- May 2017 - Community Malnutrition Resource Hub
- April 2017 - National Blueprint
- March 2017 - National Nutrition Month
- February 2017 - Readmissions Rates in Malnourished Patients
DMT End of Year Reports:
- 2022 End of Year Report
- 2020 End of Year Report
- 2019 End of Year Report
- 2018 End of Year Report
- 2017 End of Year Report
- 2016 End of Year Report
DMT Policy Agendas:
- ASPEN Infographic: Malnourished Hospitalized Patients - Racial, Age and Income Disparities
- ASPEN Infographic: Malnourished Hospitalized Patients - Readmission Rates
- ASPEN Infographic: Malnourished Emergency Department Patients
- 2020 National Blueprint Infographic
- 2017 National Blueprint Infographic
- Older Adult Malnutrition Infographic (2019 Update!)
- Defeat Malnutrition Today timeline
- State Legislative Toolkit infographic (2020 Update!)
- Malnutrition in Care Transitions Dialogue infographic
Blogs:
- September 2019: Advocate For Older Adult Health By Participating In Malnutrition Awareness Week - American Society on Aging
- April 2019: Rising Hunger Among the Elderly Could Mean Higher Rates of Malnutrition - The Philadelphia Inquirer
- March 2019: Advocating for Older Adult Health and Good Nutrition - International Council on Active Aging
- September 2018: Malnutrition Awareness Week Spotlights the Importance of National Nutrition Programs - The Hill
- May 2018: Celebrating Older Americans Month with Good Nutrition for Active Aging - International Council on Active Aging
- November 2017: Large Numbers of Aging Veterans Are Malnourished - Next Avenue
- November 2016: Take Care to Give Care: Nourishing Our Nation's Caregivers - HuffPost
- March 2016: Malnutrition Is Affecting Too Many Older Adults - Next Avenue
- May 2015: Senior Malnutrition: A National Nutrition Crisis - HuffPost
Toolkits:
- State Advocate Toolkit: Advancing Policies for Quality Malnutrition Care in Older Adults: A Toolkit for Constituents and Driving Change (PDF)
- State Legislator Toolkit (2021 Update): Advancing Policies for Quality Malnutrition Care in Older Adults: A Toolkit for State Legislators (PDF)
- State Legislator Toolkit Infographic, 2021 Update (PDF)
- Dialogue Proceedings - Malnutrition in Care Transitions, PDF
- Malnutrition for Professionals, WEBSITE
- Malnutrition for Caregivers, WEBSITE
- ASPEN Malnutrition Tools and Resources, WEBSITE
- Food Is Medicine Advocacy Toolkit, PDF
- Malnutrition Quality Improvement Initiative (MQii) Toolkit, WEBSITE
- Alliance for Aging Research Malnutrition Information: FILM (also available in Spanish), RESOURCES, PRESS RELEASE
Other Resources:
- Congressional Research Service Memo on Older Adult Malnutrition, 2022 Update, PDF
- National Blueprint: Achieving Quality Malnutrition Care for Older Adults, 2020 Update, PDF
- 2020 Infographic, PDF
- National Blueprint: Achieving Quality Malnutrition Care for Older Adults (2017 version), PDF
- 2017 Infographic, PDF
- Government Accountability Office (GAO) Report on Senior Nutrition, WEBSITE
- DMT Press Release on GAO Report, PDF
- Letter from Sens. Casey and Murray to Government Accountability Office, PDF
- Malnutrition Policy Fact Sheet, PDF
- Letter to CMS from House Members on Quality Measure, PDF
- Congressional Research Service Memo on Older Adult Malnutrition, PDF
- State-specific 2021 Infographic, Word doc
- How to talk to older adults about food insecurity, WEBSITE
Healthy People 2030
The Healthy People 2030 is the nation's 10-year plan for addressing public health priorities and challenges. Using data collected over the past forty years, the plan sets objectives to improve health and well-being over the next decade. Some of these goals address malnutrition and food insecurity challenges like:
- Reduce household food insecurity and hunger
- Increase the proportion of adults who get recommended evidence-based preventive health care
- Increase the proportion of people with health insurance
- Reduce the proportion of people living in poverty
- Oral Health
- Community Services
- Nutrition and Healthy Eating
Click the links above to see what data the US collects and how we're meeting these goals. Click here to see all the objectives.
OLDER AMERICANS ACT NUTRITION SERVICES
The Older Americans Act (OAA) helps support social and nutrition services for older adults. OAA nutrition programs are congregate (senior center) meals and Meals on Wheels.
Access to OAA nutrition programs is critical to helping reduce older adult malnutrition. This map has links to each state's OAA programs. Share the map to help increase use of these programs by older adults and help defeat malnutrition today.
SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (SNAP)
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is a federal nutrition program. It provides supplemental benefits to individuals/families for purchasing nutritious food. Only a small percent of older adults enroll in/use SNAP compared to those who are actually eligible.
By increasing SNAP enrollment/use among eligible older adults we may be able to reduce malnutrition. This map has links to each state's SNAP application. Share the map to help increase SNAP use by older adults and help defeat malnutrition today.
2023:
2022:
- Webinar, Lessons Learned: State Actions and Advocacy to Address Malnutrition (slides, video)
- Webinar, Advocating for Older Adult Malnutrition and the Inpatient Malnutrition measure (slides, video) (Note: recording NOT eligible for CE credit)
- Webinar, Malnutrition in Underserved Populations: State Actions and Advocacy (slides, video/audio)
- Webinar, Connecting Science to Practice: The OAA Nutrition Program as Malnutrition Prevention (slides)
- Webinar, Links between Food insecurity, Nutrition and Mental Health (slides, video)
2021:
- Webinar, Policy Agenda (slides, video/audio)
- Webinar, Collecting Data on Older Adults: Opportunities to Learn About Nutrition Status (slides, video/audio)
2020:
- Virtual Briefing (slides, video/audio, resources from ACL)
- Webinar, State Malnutrition Advocacy (slides)
- Webinar, National Developments in Addressing Older Adult Malnutrition: From Research to Policies to Programs (slides)
- Webinar, MQii Policy Update (slides)
- Webinar, "GAO Report Discussion: What’s Next for Federal Senior Nutrition Programs?" (slides, video/audio)
- 2019:
- Webinar, "Working Together: Tips and Strategies for Building a Malnutrition Advocacy Coalition" (slides, video/audio)
- Capitol Hill Briefing (slides)
- Webinar, "Bridging the Silos of Health and Social Malnutrition Care" (slides, video/audio)
- Webinar, "Connecting the Dots Across Oral Health, Food Insecurity, and Malnutrition" (slides, video/audio)
- Webinar, State and Local Policy (slides)
- Webinar, Policy Agenda (slides, video/audio)
2018:
- Presentation, Gerontological Society of America Conference (poster)
- Webinar, State Legislative Actions (slides, video/audio)
- Presentation, Healthy Aging Summit (poster)
- Presentation, American Society on Aging: Shared Decision-Making (slides)
- Presentation, American Society on Aging: Malnutrition in Nursing Homes (slides)
- Presentation, Policy Agenda (slides, video/audio)
2017:
- Testimony to Ohio Malnutrition Commission (pdf)
2016: