Nutrition Screening Tools to Know for Nutrition Assessment

Nutrition screening tools are essential for identifying individuals at risk of malnutrition. These tools help healthcare providers assess nutritional status, guiding timely interventions for various populations, including older adults, hospitalized patients, and critically ill individuals.

1. Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA)

   • Designed for older adults to assess nutritional status.
   • Consists of a screening section and a full assessment section.
   • Evaluates dietary intake, weight loss, mobility, and psychological stress.
   • Helps identify individuals at risk of malnutrition for timely intervention.

2. Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST)

   • A simple, evidence-based tool for identifying adults at risk of malnutrition.
   • Considers body mass index (BMI), unintentional weight loss, and acute disease effect.
   • Provides a score to guide nutritional intervention and management.
   • Widely used in various healthcare settings, including hospitals and community care.

3. Nutritional Risk Screening 2002 (NRS-2002)

   • Developed for hospitalized patients to assess nutritional risk.
   • Combines clinical and nutritional parameters, including BMI and disease severity.
   • Aims to identify patients needing nutritional support to improve outcomes.
   • Validated in various populations, making it a reliable tool for healthcare providers.

4. Subjective Global Assessment (SGA)

   • A clinical tool that evaluates nutritional status based on history and physical examination.
   • Considers weight change, dietary intake, gastrointestinal symptoms, and functional capacity.
   • Provides a global rating of nutritional status: well-nourished, moderately malnourished, or severely malnourished.
   • Useful in various settings, including hospitals and outpatient clinics.

5. Short Nutritional Assessment Questionnaire (SNAQ)

   • A brief screening tool for identifying malnutrition risk in older adults.
   • Focuses on weight loss, appetite, and food intake over the past month.
   • Quick to administer, making it suitable for busy clinical environments.
   • Helps prioritize patients for further nutritional assessment and intervention.

6. Nutrition Risk in Critically Ill (NUTRIC) Score

   • Specifically designed for critically ill patients in intensive care units (ICUs).
   • Assesses nutritional risk based on age, APACHE II score, and days in ICU.
   • Aids in identifying patients who may benefit from early nutritional support.
   • Validated in various ICU populations, enhancing its clinical utility.

7. Pediatric Nutritional Risk Score (PNRS)

   • A tool for assessing nutritional risk in hospitalized children.
   • Considers factors such as weight-for-age, dietary intake, and clinical conditions.
   • Helps identify children at risk of malnutrition to guide nutritional interventions.
   • Supports improved outcomes in pediatric care settings.

8. Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI)

   • A scoring system to assess nutritional risk in elderly patients.
   • Combines serum albumin levels and body weight to evaluate malnutrition risk.
   • Useful in predicting outcomes such as length of hospital stay and mortality.
   • Aids healthcare providers in managing nutritional care for older adults.

9. Nutrition Screening Initiative (NSI) DETERMINE Checklist

   • A self-assessment tool for older adults to identify risk factors for malnutrition.
   • Covers ten key questions related to health, nutrition, and social factors.
   • Encourages proactive nutritional assessment and intervention.
   • Promotes awareness of malnutrition risk among older adults and caregivers.

10. Malnutrition Screening Tool (MST)

• A quick and simple tool for identifying malnutrition risk in adults.
• Consists of two questions regarding recent weight loss and appetite.
• Easy to use in various healthcare settings, including outpatient and inpatient care.
• Helps prioritize patients for further nutritional evaluation and support.