Nutrition Screening

MUST for community and hospital use; NRS-2002 as ESPEN’s recommended hospital screening tool. Both are screens — a positive result should be followed by a structured nutritional assessment.

Reviewed by Pooja V. Menon, Registered Dietitian · Last updated

Three steps, scored 0–2 each; sum the scores.

> 20 = 0 · 18.5–20 = 1 · < 18.5 = 2

< 5 % = 0 · 5–10 % = 1 · > 10 % = 2

Interpretation
TotalRiskAction
0LowRoutine clinical care; repeat screening.
1MediumObserve; document intake for 3 days; repeat.
≥ 2HighRefer to dietitian. Set goals, improve and increase nutritional intake, monitor.

Sources

  • Stratton RJ, King CL, Stroud MA, Jackson AA, Elia M. ‘Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool’ predicts mortality and length of hospital stay in acutely ill elderly. Br J Nutr 2006;95:325–30. (BAPEN MUST tool.)
  • Kondrup J, Rasmussen HH, Hamberg O, Stanga Z. Nutritional risk screening (NRS 2002): a new method based on an analysis of controlled clinical trials. Clin Nutr 2003;22:321–36.
  • Cederholm T, Barazzoni R, Austin P, et al. ESPEN guidelines on definitions and terminology of clinical nutrition. Clin Nutr 2017;36:49–64.