Malnutrition usually occurs as a result of often interacting medical, psychological and socio-economic factors. It is often influenced by a lack of food intake and increased metabolisation of the body's reserves, breaking them down. In order to reduce the incidence of malnutrition, the first priority must be to establish preventive measures. Primary prevention entails preventing the occurrence of malnutrition. Secondary prevention means discovering malnutrition early through clinical screening in order to shorten the illness or prevent a relapse by treating the malnutrition.
Tertiary prevention involves reducing the effects of malnutrition.
Comprehensive literature has documented strong links between malnutrition in conjunction with illness and increased ill health, mortality and extended periods of care. Illness triggers the breaking down of body tissue, so it is not certain that nutritional treatment can correct illness-related malnutrition. This report presents an assessment of current literature primarily from the point of view of the effects of nutritional treatment on ill health and mortality in the case of malnutrition in conjunction with various states of illness. In many cases the knowledge base is incomplete, partly due to difficulties in carrying out reliable clinical studies. Uncertainty in interpreting studies should not be taken as justification for not providing the sick patient with nutrition.