Malnutrition Awareness Week: The Overlooked Role of Nutrition in Chronic Disease

Conditions like diabetes, heart failure, kidney disease, and cancer are often managed with medications, but nutrition is a critical piece of the puzzle. The challenge is that chronic diseases both cause and are worsened by malnutrition.

Malnutrition and Diabetes

Diabetes management often focuses on blood sugar, but overall nutrition matters just as much. People with diabetes may experience malnutrition in different ways:

• Unintentional weight loss: High blood sugars can lead to muscle breakdown, leaving people undernourished despite eating enough.

• Micronutrient deficiencies: Magnesium, vitamin D, and B-vitamins are often low in people with diabetes, impacting energy, nerve health, and immunity.

• Restrictive diets: Overly strict carbohydrate restriction or fad diets may limit essential nutrients, creating “hidden hunger.”

Malnutrition in diabetes doesn’t just affect daily energy—it raises the risk of delayed wound healing, infections, and poorer outcomes from complications.

The Double Burden in Chronic Disease

Malnutrition often coexists with overweight and obesity. A person may have excess body fat yet still lack muscle and critical nutrients—a condition known as sarcopenic obesity. This is especially common in chronic disease states, where inflammation, medication side effects, and poor appetite make nourishing the body difficult.

• In heart failure: Malnutrition accelerates muscle loss, weakens the heart, and worsens fatigue.

• In kidney disease: Restricted diets (such as low protein, potassium, or phosphorus) may unintentionally limit nutrient intake, leading to deficiencies.

• In cancer: Treatment side effects like nausea, taste changes, or difficulty swallowing can make it hard to meet energy and protein needs.

These examples show that malnutrition is not just about food insecurity—it’s also about the body’s ability to absorb, use, and balance nutrients during illness.

Warning Signs of Malnutrition in Chronic Illness

Because malnutrition doesn’t always look obvious, it’s easy to miss. Key warning signs include:

• Unintended weight loss or muscle loss

• Fatigue, weakness, or frequent illness

• Poor wound healing or frequent infections

• Changes in appetite or taste

• Reliance on processed or convenience foods due to restrictions or fatigue

  
  

The Good News: Nutrition is Powerful

The encouraging message is that malnutrition is preventable and treatable—even in chronic illness. Research shows that proper nutrition support can:

• Improve blood sugar control in diabetes

• Reduce hospital stays and readmission rates

• Strengthen immunity and recovery after surgery or treatment

• Enhance quality of life and independence

Working with a registered dietitian can make all the difference—helping people navigate restrictions, balance nutrients, and find sustainable eating patterns that support both the condition and overall health.

Nourishment for the Long Haul

This Malnutrition Awareness Week, let’s remember that malnutrition doesn’t just occur in famine or poverty. It hides in our communities, in people managing chronic diseases, and even in those who appear well-fed on the outside.

By raising awareness, screening for malnutrition in healthcare settings, and prioritizing nutrition as part of chronic disease management, we can close the gap between treatment and true healing.