EatWise SG Performance Indicators for Detecting Malnutrition Risk among Seniors, Current Performance Levels and Annual Targets for Nutrition Screenings
Ministry of HealthSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns the performance indicators and targets for the EatWise SG initiative in detecting malnutrition risk among seniors, as raised by Ms He Ting Ru. Minister for Health Ong Ye Kung explained that the program trains healthcare workers and community providers to deliver nutrition advice through resource packages, e-learning, and opportunistic frailty screenings. Because the initiative is in its early pilot stages, the Ministry of Health currently lacks sufficient data to report on specific outcomes or annual targets through 2030. Instead, the ministry plans to monitor the program’s effectiveness using indicators such as patient satisfaction with nutrition care and adherence to recommended diet strategies. These efforts aim to improve the early detection of at-risk seniors and enhance the prevention and management of chronic diseases and malnutrition.
Transcript
18 Ms He Ting Ru asked the Coordinating Minister for Social Policies and Minister for Health (a) whether the EatWise SG initiative has defined performance indicators for early detection and referral of seniors at malnutrition risk; (b) what are the current performance levels; and (c) what annual targets have been set through 2030, given projected ageing demographics.
Mr Ong Ye Kung: EatWise SG is an initiative to equip healthcare workers to deliver better diet recommendations for the prevention and management of chronic diseases and malnutrition. Under this initiative, an EatWise SG resource and training package was developed to help doctors and nurses deliver nutrition advice, including during Healthier SG and Nurse Counselling sessions. E-learning programmes and workshops on nutrition risk identification including malnutrition and diet advice are also being rolled out to primary care doctors, nurses and community care providers.
Through EatWise SG, primary care and community providers can conduct nutritional assessments during opportunistic frailty screening to identify at-risk seniors who would benefit from diet interventions. As EatWise SG pilots are still in the early stages, the Ministry of Health does not have sufficient data to report on outcomes or referrals for seniors with malnutrition risk. We will monitor effectiveness of the capability development efforts through indicators, such as patient satisfaction with nutrition care and patient-reported adherence to the recommended diet strategies.