Category: Medical tools

Malnutrition affects a significant portion of patients admitted to Australian hospitals, with estimates reaching 30%. The Malnutrition Screening Tool (MST) was developed to provide a simple and reliable method for healthcare professionals to assess malnutrition risk in adult acute hospital patients.

Developed by the British Association for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (BAPEN), the **MUST calculator** is a nationally recognised, five-step tool used by healthcare professionals to screen adults for malnutrition, risk of malnutrition, or obesity. It provides a standardized and validated method for assessing a patient's nutritional status across various care settings, from hospitals to community care.

The Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST) was developed by the British Association for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (BAPEN) in the early 2000s to address the growing need for a standardized, universal method of identifying malnutrition risk. This tool is not just a calculation but a five-step process used to assess a person's nutritional status and determine the appropriate management plan.

Over 3 million people in the UK are estimated to be at risk of malnutrition at any given time, a problem often under-recognised and under-treated. The key to addressing this significant health issue is effective screening, and for many healthcare professionals, this starts with understanding what MUST malnutrition stands for.

Malnutrition affects over three million people in the UK, with associated health costs exceeding £13 billion annually. Given this significant impact, implementing reliable screening methods is critical for early intervention, but is the MUST tool effective for accurately identifying individuals at risk?