🥄 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 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).
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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
Worked calculation
The values below come from this tool's own example placeholders and are computed server-side with the formula shown on this page, so the arithmetic can be checked quickly. It demonstrates how to substitute values only — it is not clinical advice and not a real case.
| Weight | 60 kg |
|---|---|
| Height | 165 cm |
| Unplanned weight loss in the past 3–6 months | <5% |
| Acutely ill and likely no intake for >5 days | Yes |
→MUST score2pts
- BMI：22 (scores 0)
- Nutrition risk：High risk
Frequently asked questions
- What is 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.
- How is MUST Malnutrition Screening calculated? What is the core formula?
- 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.
- When is MUST Malnutrition Screening used?
- 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.
- What are the key clinical points for MUST Malnutrition Screening?
- 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.
- What are the limits and cautions when using MUST Malnutrition Screening?
- For licensed clinicians and clinical researchers. Interpret results with history, investigations and local protocols; not a diagnosis or prescription, and not a substitute for multidisciplinary decision-making or local guidelines.
- How is MUST Malnutrition Screening calculated in practice? Can you show a worked example?
- Inputs: Weight 60 kg, Height 165 cm, Unplanned weight loss in the past 3–6 months <5%, Acutely ill and likely no intake for >5 days Yes → Result: MUST score 2 pts（BMI: 22 (scores 0), Nutrition risk: High risk）