The impact of malnutrition on healthcare costs and economic considerations for the use of oral nutritional supplements

The British Association for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (BAPEN) report provides some insights into the economic burden of malnutrition and the value of oral nutritional supplements in one healthcare system. Further clinical trials with endpoints that lend themselves to economic modelling undertaken particularly in the community would be helpful to expand the understanding of the economic benefits of appropriate use of oral nutritional supplements. In the meantime, the approach taken by BAPEN in the UK could serve as a useful blueprint for economic evaluation of malnutrition burden and provision of oral nutritional supplements in other countries.