Calories, Cake, Comfort and Convenience

1. Calories, Cake, Comfortand Convenience A nutritionally complete diet is always important, but is not always easy to achieve. Long term illness, physical frailty, depression, chronic pain or social isolation can all contribute significantly to a poor food intake. How can we respond to the challenge of meeting nutritional requirements during illness? Milky drinks can be food as well as drink. High nutrient density Easy to eat Frequent meals and snacks Small portion sizes Plenty of variety Familiar favourites People may need to be given permission to eat high calorie foods that they perceive to be ”unhealthy” or “bad” Malnutrition is associated with increased incidence of infections, slower healing of wounds, ulcers and pressure sores, complications following surgery and a greater likelihood of falls. Under nutrition does not resonate with primary care services, although most of the patient journey leading to malnutrition occurs in the community. NICE guidelines and the Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST) give clear criteria that can be applied and that will indicate risk of malnutrition. Healthy eating is for healthy people Priorities change during illness.