UK Malnutrition Awareness Week

BAPEN is delighted to be joining forces with the Malnutrition Task Force (MTF) once again to run UK Malnutrition Awareness Week 2024 (#UKMAW2024), which will take place between 11th – 17th November. We encourage you to get involved with the campaign to increase understanding of the prevalence, risk factors, and signs of malnutrition and dehydration. Help us spread the word and improve the standard of nutritional care across the UK.

Read BAPEN and MTF’s joint mission statement here.


Social Media Assets

Ask Look Listen Poster

Ask look listen poster

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Challenges Tuesday Selfie Board V1

Challenges Tuesday selfie board v1

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Challenges Tuesday Selfie Board V2

Challenges Tuesday selfie board v2

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I Am Supporting V1

I am supporting graphic v1

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I Am Supporting V2

I am supporting graphic v2

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Spread The Word V1

Spread the Word graphic v1

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Spread The Word V21

Spread the Word graphic v2

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We Are Supporting V1

We are supporting graphic v1

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We Are Supporting V2

We are supporting graphic v2

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The focus of the week

MondayContextualising malnutrition and the importance of screening
  • Information shared around what is malnutrition, risk factors and prevalence.
  • We encourage you to take part in our annual screening survey into malnutrition prevalence and nutrition support.
TuesdayChallenges Tuesday
WednesdayEducation
  • The Malnutrition Task Force is hosting a drop-in Learning Event. More information, including agenda, will be shared in due course.
ThursdayThirsty Thursday
  • Nutrition and hydration are often linked, but hydration is often deprioritised. We will share information about the importance of hydration, best practice for improving intake of fluids, and how to address challenges such as dysphagia.
FridayTake action against malnutrition
  • Sharing of clear calls to action to encourage people working in health and social care settings to embed changes in their behaviour and practice.
  • Sign-posting resources available on the BAPEN and MTF websites, including useful videos.
  • Conversation prompts for carers and supporters during mealtimes.
WeekendHighlights of the week

Calling all health and social care professionals!

Contribute to our national malnutrition screening survey to take the temperature on the prevalence of malnutrition in adults and gain insights into the nutritional care they receive.

Find out more

Ask, Look, Listen

The campaign focus – Ask, Look, Listen – recognises that malnutrition is everyone’s business. It is easier to manage malnutrition or dehydration when it is spotted earlier, so we want everybody in health and care multidisciplinary teams to spread the importance of keeping nutritional care at the forefront of minds, and for people in the community to look out for family members, friends, neighbours, and colleagues.

So, what does ‘Ask, Look and Listen’ mean in practice?

Ask – If you know somebody who may be vulnerable because they have health problems, because they are older or perhaps because they are isolated, don’t be afraid to ask them if they are eating and drinking okay. Don’t be afraid to ask about somebody’s appetite or ability to prepare food and drink, it could make all the difference and help you stop malnutrition in its tracks.

Look – Always be on the lookout for tell-tale signs of unplanned weight loss such as looser clothing, loose belts or rings or dentures. And remember you won’t always see weight loss so keep your eyes open for other signs like empty fridges and cupboards, local shops that have closed, or reluctance to travel or leave home.

Listen – Listen carefully to what somebody is telling you about their life. It may not be about eating and drinking directly, but is it about feeling tired, feeling worried because they are unwell, feeling lonely, or losing interest in things that usually give them enjoyment? Practice active listening and think about how the way somebody is feeling generally may affect how they are able to look after themselves.

Please contact bapen@mandfhealth.com for any further information required.


2023 Highlights

Ukmaw 2023 Highlights 1
Ukmaw 2023 Highlights 2
Ukmaw 2023 Highlights 3
Ukmaw 2023 Highlights 4
Ukmaw 2023 Highlights 5
Ukmaw 2023 Highlights 7
Ukmaw 2023 Highlights 6

UKMAW was co-founded in 2018, by the Malnutrition Task Force (MTF) and the British Association for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (BAPEN) to raise awareness and understanding of the risks of malnutrition across different sectors and settings, in local communities and with the general public and health and social care professionals. We are delighted that the campaign continues to go from strength-to-strength since its launch in 2018.

UK Malnutrition Awareness Week Reports