Malnutrition and caring : the hidden cost for families

Key points from this report about malnutrition: • Malnutrition is a hidden issue in the community which needs to be urgently tackled • Families are under stress and struggling to care without the right advice and support • Malnutrition is largely preventable and treatable • Earlier intervention will help to improve the quality of life for individuals and reap substantial cost savings to health and social care.

Related facts: • More than 3 million people in the UK are either malnourished or at risk of malnutrition1 • 93% of those individuals live in their own homes or with their family

Our survey found: • 74% of carers prepare all the meals for the person they care for • 25% care for someone who is underweight • 60% of carers worry about the nutrition of the person they care for • 55% of the people being cared for use nutritional supplements • 16% were caring for someone who was underweight and with a small appetite and were worried about their diet yet were not having any nutritional support of any kind.