September 14-18, 2026, is Malnutrition Awareness Week™, and McPherson Center for Health is joining healthcare organizations around the world to raise awareness about the importance of recognizing, preventing, and treating malnutrition.
Created by the American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (ASPEN), Malnutrition Awareness Week is an annual campaign that highlights the essential role nutrition plays in health, healing, and recovery. The week also encourages patients and families to have conversations with their healthcare providers about their nutritional health.
Although many people associate malnutrition with not getting enough food, it can affect individuals of all ages and body sizes. Poor nutrition can occur due to illness, chronic disease, difficulty eating, or changes in appetite, and often goes unnoticed until it begins affecting a person’s health.
“Nutrition is a key part of recovery and overall wellness,” said Suzanne Fleming, MS, RDN, LD, Registered Dietitian at McPherson Center for Health. “Recognizing the signs of malnutrition early allows us to provide the right support and help patients heal, maintain strength, and improve their quality of life.”
Research shows that untreated malnutrition is associated with longer hospital stays, higher readmission rates, increased need for rehabilitation or long-term care, and poorer health outcomes.
Know the Signs of Malnutrition
If you or a loved one experiences any of the following, talk with your healthcare provider:
- Unplanned weight loss
- Loss of appetite
- Difficulty eating or only being able to eat small amounts
- Feeling unusually weak or fatigued
- Swelling or fluid buildup
While older adults are especially vulnerable, malnutrition can affect anyone, including individuals living with diabetes, kidney disease, lung disease, cancer, dementia, infections, or other chronic medical conditions.
Throughout Malnutrition Awareness Week, McPherson Center for Health will recognize the importance of nutrition through staff education and by sharing resources to help patients and community members better understand the warning signs of malnutrition.
“Our goal is to help patients stay healthy through every stage of life,” Fleming said. “Good nutrition is one of the most important tools we have to support healing, manage chronic conditions, and improve overall well-being.”
For additional nutrition resources and information about Malnutrition Awareness Week, visit the American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (ASPEN) website. Or call McPherson Center for Health at 620-241-2251, ext. 179.
References
- Guenter P, Abdelhadi R, Anthony P, et al. Malnutrition diagnoses and associated outcomes in hospitalized patients: United States, 2018. Nutrition in Clinical Practice. 2021;36(5):957-969.
- Tappenden KA, Quatrara B, Parkhurst ML, et al. Critical role of nutrition in improving quality of care: An interdisciplinary call to action to address adult hospital malnutrition. JPEN Journal of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition. 2013;37(4):482-497.
