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International organisations unite to launch a global call to action against disease-related malnutrition

Vienna, September 5th, 2022 – In a landmark step to fight disease-related malnutrition, International Clinical nutrition societies, ESPEN, ASPEN, FELANPE and PENSA, in conjunction with the European Federation of Association of Dieticians, the European Patients Forum, and over 75 associations including CNS from across the globe signed a declaration recognizing nutritional care as a human right today at the 44th ESPEN congress on Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism. The International declaration on the Human Right to Nutritional Care is a global call to policymakers, medical associations, and civil society organizations for urgent action against disease-related malnutrition. The declaration is a first-of-its-kind global consensus committed to raise awareness on the importance of disease-related malnutrition and highlight the lack of nutritional care for people suffering from chronic and acute diseases.    

The Vienna declaration sets a shared vision and principles for implementation of the human right to nutritional care for all patients with disease-related malnutrition. Lack of access to optimal nutrition increases the risk of comorbidities and mortality among patients suffering from chronic diseases. It can also lead to prolonged hospital stays increasing healthcare costs and adding pressure to the already burdened healthcare systems. Nutritional care is vital for the prevention and treatment of malnutrition and have been found to be effective in improving disease prognosis and outcomes.  

At the Congress, ESPEN Chairman, Professor Rocco Barazzoni said- “Disease-related malnutrition is a common condition in patients suffering from acute and chronic diseases. It increases the patient's mortality risk and negatively impacts their quality of life. Nutritional care is key for effective prevention and treatment of malnutrition and can significantly improve disease outcomes. The Vienna declaration which recognises the right to clinical nutrition as a human right is an important step towards ensuring access to optimal nutrition for all. We hope that the declaration will bring much needed attention to the importance of nutritional care, and will prove instrumental in reducing and eliminating disease-related malnutrition globally.'' 

The Declaration was signed at a hybrid conference organised by ESPEN at the Messe Wien Exhibition and Congress Center, attended by over 3600 healthcare professionals and associations. The event included messages and addresses by ESPEN chairman, R Barazzoni (Italy), FELANPE President, Any Ferreira (Paraguay), ASPEN, President Ryan Hurt (USA) and Director of PENSA Center, Soranit Siltharm (Thailand). The importance of nutritional care was further underscored by patient representative Marek Lichota. Further indicating the relevance of the initiative, salutations were given by European Commission - DG Sante and WHO Europe representatives, Stefan Schreck and Kremlin Wickramasinghe.