Welcome to the third edition of this valuable, evidence-based resource aimed at preventing and treating malnutrition in healthcare. Malnutrition is a major public health issue. Approximately three million people in the UK are malnourished or at risk of malnutrition.
This document is for everyone working within the healthcare food service setting. To reduce the incidence and prevalence of malnutrition, there must be a multi-professional and multi-agency approach to delivering high quality, nutritious, appropriate and safe food and drink services.
The Nutrition and Hydration Digest is a vital resource that supports the new National standards for healthcare food and drink. The third edition has been updated to reflect the increasing importance of the role of the food service dietitian and incorporates new higher protein targets for hospital meals.
It is pleasing to see sustainability has also been included within this update, reflecting the role we all must play in working towards a more environmentally sustainable future.
I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate those who have collaborated on this edition and to thank all of you who work so hard and care so much about providing excellent nutrition and hydration for the people within your care.
Liz Stockley
CEO, British Dietetic Association