One in three hospital patients are not being screened for malnutrition, despite the fact that 30 – 40 per cent of patients experience the issue, new Swinburne research has found.

Malnutrition not only negatively impacts health, but also causes poor healing and increased infection risks, lengthening hospital stays and further burdening an under-resourced system.

Lead author Swinburne PhD Candidate Jolie Baird explains that hospitals are failing to identify malnutrition early enough.

“The challenge is that screening isn’t always completed consistently,” says Baird.

“While awareness of malnutrition is high, the systems in place to detect and prevent it are not working as effective as they could.”

“Simple checks like regular nutrition screening and monitoring weight can delay identifying patients at risk.”

While some patients are already underweight or at risk of malnutrition when they come to hospital, others can develop it during their hospital stay.

“It’s concerning that despite this being a well-recognised issue, we are still seeing gaps in early identification,” says Baird.

“The issue is not just about individual clinicians, but about the broader system they are working within.

“Barriers such as heavy workload, unclear staff responsibilities, limited leadership and ward culture can make it difficult to prioritise nutrition care in busy hospital environments.”

Emerging innovations such as patient-led digital screening tools and interdisciplinary malnutrition pathways could improve consistency and efficiency, explains Baird.

But their success will depend on strong leadership support, appropriate resourcing, clear protocols and staff training, she says.

Patients who are screened and correctly identified as being at risk receive nutrition support, but Baird says there is a clear need to shift towards more proactive approaches that prioritise early identification and prevention.

“Improving nutrition care in hospital can help patients recover faster,” she says.

“We must help ensure patients receive the right care at the right time, supporting better recovery and improved health outcomes.”