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April 18, 2026British Journal of Nursing1 citations

Screening adults for malnutrition using the MUST: an update

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WMWendy MilliganJFJane Fletcher

Key Points

  • The aim is to evaluate the effectiveness of the MUST screening tool for identifying malnutrition in adults.
  • Review current literature on MUST and its application in various health settings.
  • Discuss challenges encountered in using the tool in practice.
  • Provide practical guidance and resources for successful implementation.
  • MUST is widely recognized as an effective tool for early detection of malnutrition.
  • Challenges include variations in implementation and completion in different settings.
  • Current evidence supports ongoing use but emphasizes the need for training and resources.

Abstract

Disease-related malnutrition in adults is a costly problem. It is associated with increased morbidity and mortality but can go unrecognised and therefore untreated. The Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST), launched in 2003, is a validated screening tool to support the early recognition of malnutrition risk in adults across a wide variety of health and care settings. It remains one of the most widely used screening tools for adults in the UK. This review sets out the current evidence to support its use and discusses common challenges with completing it in practice. Practical information and signposting to the latest supporting resources are provided.

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Cite This Study

Milligan et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/69e31ff140886becb653f195https://doi.org/10.12968/bjon.2026.0112
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