Governor Proclaims Malnutrition Awareness Week 2023

WHEREAS, inadequate or unbalanced nutrition, known as malnutrition, is prevalent in many groups, including vulnerable populations such as hospitalized patients and minority populations, with older adults having the highest rate of malnutrition compared to other groups; and

WHEREAS, illness, injury, and malnutrition can result in the loss of lean body mass, leading to complications that impact good patient health outcomes, including recovery from surgery, illness, or disease; and

WHEREAS, nutrition is a human right and social determinant of health; during the global COVID-19 health pandemic, malnutrition was exacerbated, intensifying disparities, inequities, and social isolation, which was further compounded by food insecurity; and

WHEREAS, disease-related malnutrition is a highly prevalent form of malnutrition, and over two million hospital stays involve malnutrition per year; and

WHEREAS, malnourished patients have hospital stays that are two times longer compared to patients with no malnutrition, and each day, approximately 15,000 hospital patients with malnutrition go undiagnosed; and

WHEREAS, the 30-day readmission rate is 1.6 times higher than for patients without malnutrition; readmitted malnourished patients are also twice as likely to be diagnosed with an infection; and

WHEREAS, readmitted malnourished patients have hospital costs that are 22 percent higher than readmitted patients with no malnutrition; and

WHEREAS, malnourished patients have three times the mortality rate of all hospitalized patients; and

WHEREAS, malnutrition leads to more complications, falls, and readmissions, plays a role in cognitive deterioration and decreased functional capacity, and affects quality of life; and

WHEREAS, screening, assessment, diagnosis, and intervention are key to improving the lives of those suffering from malnutrition throughout the nation and in North Carolina;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, ROY COOPER, Governor of the State of North Carolina, do hereby proclaim September 18 – 22, 2023, as “MALNUTRITION AWARENESS WEEK” in North Carolina, and commend its observance to all citizens.