🥄 MUST Malnutrition Screening
MUST (Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool) is a five-step screen that flags adults at risk of malnutrition using BMI, recent unplanned weight loss, and acute disease effect.
MUST Malnutrition Screening
Weight (kg)
Height (cm)
Unplanned weight loss in the past 3–6 months
Acutely ill and likely no intake for >5 days
When to use
Enter weight and height plus the weight-loss band and acute-illness item; the tool sums the three component scores into a low/medium/high risk category.
How it works
Score = BMI points (>20 kg/m² = 0, 18.5–20 = 1, <18.5 = 2) + weight-loss points (<5% = 0, 5–10% = 1, >10% = 2) + acute-disease points (no intake likely >5 days = 2). Total 0 low, 1 medium, ≥2 high risk.
Key points
- MUST is designed for all care settings (hospital, community, care home) and is intended to trigger a care pathway rather than diagnose malnutrition on its own (original synthesis · not guideline verbatim).
- A medium-risk score warrants documented intake observation; a high-risk score warrants dietitian referral and a nutrition support plan.
- When height or weight cannot be measured, validated surrogates (ulna length, mid-upper-arm circumference, recalled weight) are used so screening is not skipped.
References
Decision support for licensed clinicians only; not a substitute for clinical judgement, diagnosis or local protocols.