Lets fight malnutrition in Portugal

Creating a non-profit association, - Stop Malnutrition Portugal” - to fight malnutrition in Portugal and raise public awareness, education and training on this major public health problem.

In recent years, the most attention by far in affluent countries has been paid to the problem of overweight and obesity – both of which are very visible in our communities. What may surprise many to know is that the issue at the other end of the spectrum, under-nutrition, also constitutes a major problem – which is at least as big a problem as obesity – particularly in hospitals, care homes and communities, where diseases and disabilities are common.

The issue of malnutrition has begun to be recognized at European level. Already back in 2003, the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers adopted a resolution on food and nutritional care in hospitals. 

Although a variety of practical, validated screening tools are available for the identification of malnutrition and risk of malnutrition in children, adults and older people they are poorly employed across the Portuguese healthcare system. This means that malnutrition continues to go undetected in patients in hospital, in care homes and in patients living independently. The opportunity for early identification and appropriate management of malnutrition or risk of malnutrition is therefore often missed.

THE PROJECT

This campaign aims at raising the resources necessary for the creation of a non-profit association - "Stop Malnutrition Portugal" - in order to mobilize society at large, health authorities and their professionals in particular, for the effective implementation of International recommendations for the prevention and treatment of malnutrition in all heath care settings- hospitals, nursing homes and community.

Once constituted, the association intends to act with a view to the specific following objectives:

1. Put issue (the fight against malnutrition) on the national political agenda (nutritional therapy has no place within the health and social care budgets in Portugal);
2. Public awareness, through the media and practical education actions in different settings (corporations, schools etc.)
3. Awareness of the health professionals and caregivers in general (a recent research found that 40% of general practitioners do not think that malnutrition is a problem);
4. Actively promote training in nutritional care for health and social care professionals

About the author

I am a nutritionist [BSc (Hons) in Nutrition and Food Sciences] with a Postgraduate Certificate in Community Health, and for the past 20 years, I have been committed to promote healthy eating habits and good nutrition status in different settings, like public hospitals, schools, and private organizations.

Because I have worked for 10 years at a hospital setting (helping people living with cancer and HIV/aids) I understood that malnutrition is a widespread problem in Portuguese health care settings. Since then I have been committed to fight this major public health problem in Portugal.

Budget and due dates

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