Mini Nutritional Assessment
A validated screening and assessment tool used in geriatric settings to identify older adults at risk of malnutrition or who are already malnourished.
Full Definition
The Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) is a widely adopted, evidence-based instrument comprising questions about food intake, weight loss, mobility, psychological stress, neuropsychological problems, and body mass index. In geriatric rehabilitation, malnutrition directly impairs muscle recovery, wound healing, immune function, and functional outcomes, making the MNA a standard component of admission screening. Editors should note that 'Mini Nutritional Assessment' is always capitalised as a proper noun (instrument name) and abbreviated as MNA after first expansion. There is a shorter screener version, the MNA-SF (Short Form), which must not be conflated with the full MNA in clinical documentation. The tool is published and validated by Nestlé Nutrition Institute in collaboration with geriatric research groups.
Usage
Usage note: Capitalise as a proper noun. Distinguish the full MNA from the MNA-SF (Short Form) in all documents. Expand MNA on first use.
In Context
- "A Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) completed on admission identified the patient as malnourished, prompting an urgent dietitian referral." — Geriatric rehabilitation admission assessment
- "Serial MNA scores were recorded fortnightly to monitor the patient's response to nutritional supplementation." — Inpatient dietitian progress note