The Island’s health and social care professionals will again be taking part in the annual Nutrition and Hydration Week.

Running from 14 – 20 March 2016, the awareness campaign highlights the importance and benefits of drinking plenty of fluids and eating healthy nutritious food.

This year, activities are being led by the Isle of Man’s dietitians, qualified health professionals who assess, diagnose and treat diet and nutrition problems, including malnutrition related to illness.

Dietitians will again work with the Isle of Man’s Live at Home Scheme during the week, attending events across the Island to talk to volunteers and users of the scheme to raise awareness of nutrition and hydration issues. In addition they will be promoting a new online Malnutrition Self-Screening Tool. It has recently been launched by UK charity BAPEN after data from their Nutrition Screening Week surveys revealed that 30% of people admitted to hospital are at risk of malnutrition.

The free tool aims to promote early identification of undernutrition and the steps that can be taken to achieve and maintain a healthy weight, and reduce the likelihood of people being admitted to hospital with problems related to poor nutrition.

Minister for Health and Social Care, Howard Quayle MHK, said: “Despite the advances in medical science over recent decades, good hydration and nutrition remain the bedrock of good health and wellbeing.

“Weight loss can be a sign of illness, but it can also be a cause. So it’s important that we get the basics of eating and drinking right; both as individuals taking responsibility for our own health and as a Department providing care for vulnerable people.

“When people are unwell a loss of appetite is common, and yet it’s actually the time when we need to eat and drink plenty to keep our strength up and get well. I hope that by supporting this initiative we’re able to get that message across.”

The Department of Health and Social Care has supported the awareness week each year since it began in 2012. There have been numerous and ongoing initiatives to promote good nutrition and hydration, such as: a Nutrition Action Group at Noble’s Hospital founded in 2003, protected mealtimes for hospital patients to prevent interruptions, assistance for patients at meal times through volunteer dining companions, and malnutrition assessments as part of the hospital admission process.