WASPEN, ISPEN Demand Urgent Reform In Clinical Nutrition Practices

The West African Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (WASPEN) and the Indian Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (ISPEN) have called for swift reforms in clinical nutrition practices, urging hospitals to adopt a “golden hour” approach to nutrition screening to curb rising cases of hospital malnutrition.

The call was made during a high-level global webinar on “Strengthening Clinical Nutrition Care Through Effective Nutrition Assessment,” which convened international experts to address what has been described as a growing but often overlooked global health crisis.

Delivering the keynote, Chief Clinical Dietitian at Apollo Hospitals, Dr. Daphnee Lovesley, warned that malnutrition frequently begins at the point of admission. She said at least 11 hospitalised patients go undiagnosed with malnutrition every minute.

Dr. Lovesley noted that up to two-thirds of patients arrive at hospitals already malnourished, with rates reaching 85 per cent in parts of Africa. She added that delays in initiating nutrition therapy especially beyond the first 24 hours increase the risk of complications and mortality.

“If we delay our nutrition prescription for more than 24 hours, the patient is at extreme risk,” she cautioned.

She advocated a mandatory “golden hour” protocol in which all patients are screened for malnutrition within the first six hours of admission, stressing that early detection prevents complications such as sarcopenia rapid muscle loss that contributes to frailty, falls, and poor recovery.

Dr. Lovesley also urged hospitals to adopt the Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition (GLIM) framework to help multidisciplinary teams identify high-risk patients using indicators like recent weight loss, reduced food intake, and disease burden.

WASPEN President, Dr. Teresa Pounds, endorsed the recommendations and emphasised the need for structured clinical nutrition systems across Nigeria.

She called on the federal government to ensure the full operationalisation of the Nutritional Steering Committee (NSC) in hospitals nationwide.

Dr. Pounds also urged Chief Medical Directors and hospital administrators including those in private facilities to prioritise routine nutrition assessments for all in-patients and establish multidisciplinary nutrition committees to guarantee screening within 24 hours of admission.

“Nutrition care must be recognised as a core component of treatment,” she said, adding that stronger institutional commitment is essential to tackling hospital malnutrition.

“Nigeria is making progress with the Nutritional Steering Committee, but global standards must be domesticated,” she added.

Experts at the webinar further recommended protected mealtimes where clinical disruptions are minimised to allow patients adequate time

to eat and a “food-first” protocol that promotes natural dietary intake before supplements.

Dr. Lovesley noted that untreated malnutrition can prolong hospital stay by two to three days and increase susceptibility to infections, delayed wound healing, and premature death, placing additional strain on health systems.

In her closing remarks, Dr. Pounds described clinical nutrition as a vital pillar of public health and patient care. She urged sustained commitment from all stakeholders and invited health professionals to the upcoming WASPEN conference scheduled for June 22–25, 2026.

“Nutritional assessment remains the most effective tool for preventing morbidity and early mortality,” she said, reaffirming WASPEN’s commitment to strengthening nutrition care across Nigeria and West Africa.