The figures, reported by The Guardian, reveal that people with malnutrition accounted for 184,528 hospital bed days last year, which has risen from 65,048 in 2006/07.
Phil Shelley HCA national chair, said: “Malnutrition is a hidden epidemic. These new statistics prove the scale of the problem, which have been putting unprecedented pressure on hospital caterers in recent years. Malnutrition is preventable, and professional community services should be given the resources to help identify cases of malnutrition before hospital admission occurs.
“Once in hospital, our members and indeed all hospital caterers work extremely hard, in tandem with their colleagues in dietetics and nursing, to support the individual needs of those suffering. Often a speciality diet with an energy dense menu will need to be put in place to help patients recover. With malnutrition, food really is the medicine and hospital caterers can provide life enhancing solutions.
“Malnutrition is a complex issue and hospital recovery can be extremely lengthy with some stays requiring nearly a month, placing even more pressure on hospital bed space and staff. It is shocking that malnutrition is both so prevalent, and so extreme that it requires hospital admission in the 21st century. The HCA backs our colleagues in asking for more resources be directed to tackling the prevention of malnutrition before hospital admission.”