American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition Malnutrition Awareness Week 2023

ASPEN Malnutrition Awareness Week (MAW) 2023 was the annual campaign dedicated to the early detection, intervention, and treatment of malnutrition. The 2023 edition was particularly significant for its focus on “Nutrition Care Is a Patient Right”, emphasizing that access to proper nutritional assessment and therapy is a fundamental human right, not just an optional supportive care measure.
This week-long event mobilized clinicians, patients, and policymakers to recognize malnutrition as a hidden epidemic—especially in hospitalized patients and those with obesity—that leads to higher readmission rates and healthcare costs.
– What You Will Learn (Key Themes)
The 2023 educational content focused on breaking stereotypes about what malnutrition looks like and standardizing care:

The “Invisible” Malnutrition: A major focus was on identifying malnutrition in patients with obesity (sarcopenic obesity), where physical size often masks severe nutrient deficiencies and muscle loss.

Pediatric Assessment: Moving beyond simple growth charts to use advanced physical assessment and laboratory strategies for infants and young children.

Health Equity: How social determinants of health (SDOH) impact malnutrition risk and how the Global Malnutrition Composite Score (GMCS) is being used to measure and improve quality of care in hospitals.

Advocacy: Empowering clinicians to talk to hospital administration about the financial and clinical ROI of hiring dedicated nutrition support teams.

– Event Details

Event: ASPEN Malnutrition Awareness Week™ 2023

Format: Virtual (Webinars).

– Who Should Attend (or Access Resources)

Dietitians (RD/RDNs): To gain tools for diagnosing malnutrition in complex populations (e.g., ICU, obesity).

Nurses & Physicians: Who are often the first to screen patients upon admission.

Hospital Administrators: To understand the new quality measures (GMCS) that affect hospital reimbursement.

Patients & Caregivers: To learn how to “Ask About Your Nutrition” during hospital stays.

The American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (ASPEN) Malnutrition Awareness Week 2023 was best for dietitians, physicians, nurses, pharmacists, and allied health professionals who wanted CME/CE‑accredited training on screening, diagnosing, and managing malnutrition across diverse patient populations, including obesity, pediatrics, addiction, and transitions of care.
 
+ Topics:

Addiction The New Skeleton in the Hospital Closet
Is This Malnutrition How to Approach Common Diagnostic Challenges
Malnutrition and Transitions of Care Between Health Care Settings
Malnutrition in the Patient with Obesity How to Address the Under Recognition
Pediatric Malnutrition Diagnosis and Provider Engagement