Touch-screen technology to address malnutrition in older people

A touch-screen computer to help detect illness from malnutrition in older adults has been created by researchers from the University of Sheffield. The Novel Assessment of Nutrition and Ageing (NANA) system, which was showcased at an event at the Houses of Parliament in London last night (Wednesday 7 November 2012), will measure what older adults are eating at home, to support research into malnutrition. Malnutrition is a major public health problem that is easily overlooked in our affluent and overweight society. Whilst malnutrition affects all ages, older adults are particularly affected, with 1 in 3 who live independently considered to be at risk. However, spotting people at risk of malnutrition is difficult as there was previously no easy way of tracking what people ate and drank in their own homes. NANA is the result of a three-year project to develop a simple and easy to use system for measuring diet, cognition, mood, and physical function. The system makes it simple for anyone to enter items of food and drink taken throughout the day, both as complete meals and snacks.