title: The Mini Nutritional Assessment--its history, today's practice, and future perspectives.
abstract: In the early 1990s, the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA; Nestle Nutrition, Vevey, Switzerland) was developed for nutrition screening in the elderly. Since then, it became the most established and widespread screening tool for older persons and has been translated into many different languages. The MNA shows prognostic relevance with regard to functionality, morbidity, and mortality of the elderly in different settings. This article recalls the development of the MNA with its short form (MNA-SF) and reviews the literature, focusing on the most recent publications. Specific features of the application of the MNA in different settings (community, nursing home, hospital) are considered. Minor shortcomings of the tool, such as the resources and the cooperation necessary for completion of the MNA, are discussed. Future options for the adaptation of this valuable tool are briefly characterized.
authors.affiliation: University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Prof.-Ernst-Nathan-Strasse 1, Nuremberg, Germany 90419. juergen.bauer@klinikum-nuernberg.de
authors.forename: Juergen M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Bauer
authors.forename: Matthias J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Kaiser
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Anthony
authors.forename: Yves
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Guigoz
authors.forename: Cornel C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Sieber
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging; D015577:Geriatric Assessment / Q000266:history / Q000379:methods*; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049674:History, 21st Century; D006801:Humans; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000266:history / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D009752:Nutritional Status; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards