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The Canadian Malnutrition Task Force

The Canadian Malnutrition Task Force (CMTF) is a group of clinicians and investigators that are part of the Canadian Nutrition Society (CNS). The following is our vision and mission:


Our Vision

As a group dedicated to improving nutrition care across the country, our primary goal is to achieve optimal nutrition for all Canadians, across the continuum of care, through established processes in clinical care.

Our Mission

We aspire to create a knowledge base and close the gaps between research and practice in the prevention, detection and treatment of malnutrition in Canadians through the continuum of care.

What We Do

Our Four-Pronged Approach to Improving Nutrition Care

1
Knowledge creation to influence best practices through hospital-based research efforts
2
Aggregation of data on current rate, health impact and causes of malnutrition to support knowledge creation efforts across the continuum of care
3
Development of best practices in nutrition care, involving key stakeholders, influencers and decision-makers in the process
4
Sharing research knowledge to effect a culture change in nutrition care

We are currently creating knowledge through our Nutrition in Canadian Hospitals Study. With our stakeholders and Partners Against Malnutrition/ Partenaires Contre la Malnutrition we are aggregating data, developing best practices and changing the culture of nutrition care in hospitals, long term care homes and the community.

What is Malnutrition?

 

What is Malnutrition?

Most of us think of malnutrition as undernourishment, but problems can also arise from overnutrition, single-nutrient deficiencies and nutrient imbalances. Malnutrition has serious consequences including physical and mental health problems and increased health care use. Nutrition diagnoses developed by the International Consensus Guideline Committee based on different underlying causes include:

  • starvation-related malnutrition, decreased intake due to variety of causes and  no inflammation is present. Reasons for starvation include:
    • Poor food intake due to a variety of causes such as loss of appetite, psychological stress, feeling unwell, swallowing difficulties etc.
    • Inadequate access to quality food due to low income, functional disability that affects preparation and consumption of food
    • Poor quality food, food provided is insufficient in nutrients and energy to meet the needs of the individual
  • chronic disease-related malnutrition, where inflammation is chronic but mild or moderate and nutrient and/or energy intake is  inadequate to meet increased needs resulting from inflammation
    • Examples include:
      • Sarcopenic (loss of muscle mass) Obesity, protein and micronutrients are inadequate to support muscle
      • Cancer
      • Rheumatoid arthritis,
      • Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
  • acute disease- or injury-related malnutrition, resulting from a major infection or trauma where inflammation is acute and severe and nutrient and/or energy intake is inadequate to meet increased needs.  When inflammation is present, the underlying cause of disease needs to be addressed for nutrition therapy to have a benefit.
    • Examples include:
      • Major Infection
      • Burns or Other Trauma

© Canadian Malnutrition Task Force