Nutrition in multimorbidity

Abstract

Poor nutrition can be both a cause, and a consequence, of multimorbidity. Assessing nutrition status is therefore a vital component in the management of people with multimorbidity. Suboptimal diet is a direct contributor to risk of ischaemic heart disease, cerebral ischaemic events, many cancers, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease and other chronic diseases. Eating a diet based on processed foods throughout life increases the risk of these diseases and multiple nutrient deficiencies, including, for example, iron, vitamin B12, folate and calcium.