Canadian Malnutrition Task Force

03/31/2026

New Malnutrition Coding Direction from Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI)!

CMTF has been working with CIHI to identify the need to strengthen data around malnutrition diagnosis and we are pleased to share that:

➡️ Effective April 1, 2026, CIHI is mandating the assignment of a code for a documented diagnosis of malnutrition classified within the block E40–E46, regardless of significance. All available documentation, including non-physician documentation, may be used for code assignment.

This new coding direction applies to all hospital and ambulatory care discharges submitted to the Discharge Abstract Database (DAD) and the National Ambulatory Care Reporting System (NACRS).

🔗 Learn more about the coding direction: https://www.cihi.ca/en/coding-direction-malnutrition

Stay tuned for more updates from CMTF as we continue to strengthen the evidence base needed to inform policy and health system planning. In the meantime, share this major step forward for malnutrition surveillance and research in Canada!


Canadian Nutrition Society - Societe canadienne de nutrition Dietitians of Canada

03/18/2026

🎉 Celebrating Excellence in Nutrition! 🎉

Congratulations to Heather Keller RD PhD FDC and Donald Duerksen MD on receiving the CNS-SCN Fellow Distinction Award for their outstanding contributions to the field of nutrition.

👏 Kudos as well to:
• Jessie Hulst MD PhD – Khursheed Jeejeebhoy Award for excellence in applying clinical nutrition research to practice
• Paule Bernier FDt.P MSc ASC – CNS Allied Health Award in Nutrition Care

Their work continues to advance malnutrition awareness, research, and care—strengthening the nutrition community across Canada and beyond.

👏👏 Well-deserved recognition!

🔗 Learn more: https://cns-scn.ca/awards/awards-and-recognitions/2026-award-recipients

03/03/2026

Nutrition Month 2026: Nutrition Saves $$
In celebration of Dietitians of Canada Nutrition Month and this year’s theme, Nourish to Flourish, we are releasing a new infographic: Cost Savings of Nutrition Interventions in Healthcare.

Drawing on the latest evidence from economic modelling, systematic reviews, and large-scale hospital data—the evidence is clear: nutrition interventions reduce healthcare utilization, lower hospital costs, and deliver a measurable return on investment.

Nutrition care isn’t just good practice — it’s smart healthcare policy.

Access the infographic here to strengthen the case for nutrition being a priority in healthcare
https://nutritioncareincanada.ca/sites/default/uploads/files/Cost_Savings_of_Nutrition_2026.pdf

02/12/2026

New Video on Inspiring Action for Malnutrition in Canada

Malnutrition continues to impact patient outcomes, healthcare utilization, and system sustainability across Canada — yet it remains a low priority for governments.

We are pleased to share a new short video that summarizes our whitepaper, Malnutrition in Canada: Unveiling the Need for Priority and Policy.

This concise 4-minute video distills the key findings from the 25-page whitepaper launched by CMTF and Canadian Nutrition Society in October 2024. The video
• Highlights why malnutrition remains a significant healthcare issue
• Outlines evidence-based solutions
• Presents actionable policy recommendations for governments

Designed to support advocacy, policy dialogue, and knowledge translation, this video may be of interest to academics, clinicians, dietitians, and policy-makers.

📌 Watch the video (English only):
https://nutritioncareincanada.ca/focus-areas/advocacy/government-efforts
The full whitepaper and details on federal Petitions for Malnutrition are also available.

We encourage colleagues and partners to share the video and contribute to advancing malnutrition as a healthcare priority in Canada.

02/03/2026

🌟 The Ottawa Hospital - Recognized for Transforming Patient Mealtime Experiences 🌟

The Ottawa Hospital - L'Hôpital d'Ottawa received a prestigious Ontario Health Quality and Innovation Award for its Food Transformation Project—a patient-centred initiative that recognizes food as a core component of cancer care!

Developed in partnership with renowned restaurateur Stephen Beckta, the project moves beyond traditional, highly processed hospital meals to provide nourishing, whole-food options informed by hospitality industry standards.

🎥 Watch the video to see how The Ottawa Hospital team is reimagining hospital mealtimes through a Food as Medicine approach:
👉 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AcvlTO899AU

Dr. Barbara Bielawska, gastroenterologist and Medical Lead for Inpatient Nutrition at The Ottawa Hospital—and a member of CMTF—underscores the significant impact of malnutrition among hospitalized patients and the importance of multidisciplinary leadership in addressing it.

📖 Read the full article to learn more about this award-winning initiative:
https://www.ottawahospital.on.ca/en/healthy-tomorrows/reimagining-hospital-food-how-the-ottawa-hospital-is-transforming-the-patient-mealtime-experience/

Learn how The Ottawa Hospital is reimagining hospital food to improve patient nutrition, enhance care and create a better experience.

01/13/2026

🍽️ Eastern Newfoundland Teaching Kitchens Take Action Against Malnutrition

Dietitians from NL Health Services (NLHS) Eastern Zone partnered with Compass Group Canada to bring Teaching Kitchens to communities across the province—empowering individuals with practical food skills to help prevent malnutrition.

Dietetic intern Toshia McDonald and registered dietitian Pamela Thoms, alongside Compass Group Canada Executive Chefs Jason Harding and Dwayne Davis, led interactive Teaching Kitchen sessions at the Health Sciences Centre in St. John’s and the Private Josiah Squibb Memorial Pavilion in Carbonear.

These hands-on sessions focused on:
✔️ Building confidence in food preparation
✔️ Practical strategies to prevent malnutrition at home and in hospital settings
✔️ Tips on grocery budgeting, fibre intake, knife skills, and food safety

NL Health Services dietitians and Compass Group Canada are commended for championing lifelong food skills, enhancing patient care, and supporting Canadian Malnutrition Awareness Week 2025. This initiative also reinforces key messages from the Canadian Malnutrition Task Force.

📘 To learn more about the NLHS Teaching Kitchen Recipe Book and cooking demonstration videos, read the full Success Story here: https://nutritioncareincanada.ca/focus-areas/awareness-education/success-stories/view/37

01/05/2026

📣 New Malnutrition Petition Presented in the House of Commons

On November 25, 2025, MP Guillaume Deschêns-Thériault (Madawaska–Restigouche, NB) presented a petition on malnutrition in the House of Commons. The petition includes recommendations from the Canadian Malnutrition Task Force and the Canadian Nutrition Society - Societe canadienne de nutrition whitepaper: Malnutrition in Canada: Unveiling the Need for Priority and Policy

Thank you to MP Guillaume Deschêns-Thériault for bringing government attention to this critical issue, and to Manon Laporte for leading the collection of petition signatures 🙌
🎥 Watch the petition presentation presented in French: https://nutritioncareincanada.ca/focus-areas/advocacy/government-efforts

📄 Read the CMTF-CNS whitepaper:
ENG:
https://nutritioncareincanada.ca/sites/default/uploads/files/Whitepaper/CMTF-CNS_Whitepaper3Oct2024-ENG.pdf
FREL
https://nutritioncareincanada.ca/sites/default/uploads/files/Whitepaper/CMTF-CNS_Whitepaper3Oct2024-FRE.pdf

Join us in bringing attention to malnutrition as a national health issue!

12/11/2025

NLHS Dietitians Come Together for CMTF’s SGA Train-the-Trainer Pilot Program

On November 25, dietitians from across Newfoundland and Labrador gathered in St. John’s for CMTF's hands-on Subjective Global Assessment (SGA) Train-the-Trainer session.

Held at the Health Sciences Centre, Newfoundland Health services, the group took part in practical, skill-building activities led by CMTF trainer Manon Laporte, RD, MSc, CNSC. Each participant will now return to their Zone ready to support and mentor fellow dietitians in using this essential clinical tool.

This initiative supports NLHS’ commitment to improving access and quality by increasing the number of dietitians trained in evidence-informed malnutrition assessment and enhancing patient nutrition care across the province.

Read more about this Success Story here https://nutritioncareincanada.ca/focus-areas/awareness-education/success-stories/view/36

A big thank-you to Kerry Gillard, Kim Stinson-Burt, Shelly Burton, Amanda O’Brien, Vanessa Brown, Courtney Murphy, Kaitlyn Frampton, and Kara Roberts for their leadership and participation!

This session is part of CMTF’s three-hospital pilot program. Stay tuned—more updates coming in the new year!

12/05/2025

📣 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Highlights CMTF’s Pediatric SGNA!
We’re excited to share that the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics is promoting the Canadian Malnutrition Task Force Subjective Global Nutrition Assessment (SGNA) as a comprehensive, validated tool for assessing nutrition status in hospitalized pediatric patients.

While the Academy/ASPEN Indicators for Malnutrition in Pediatrics (AAIMp) were developed to support standardized diagnoses, emerging evidence shows they currently lack predictive validity—highlighting the value of SGNA in clinical practice.

📘 Read the Academy’s “Summary of Science: Diagnosing Pediatric Malnutrition for the Practicing Clinician”
https://www.eatrightpro.org/news-center/practice-trends/summary-of-science-diagnosing-pediatric-malnutrition-for-the-practicing-clinician

🌟 Want to learn more about the SGNA?
🔗 Overview: https://nutritioncareincanada.ca/resource-library/pediatrics/hospital-care-peds/assessment/sgna

🎥 CMTF 2025 SGNA Instructional Video now available for purchase:
https://nutritioncareincanada.ca/resource-library/subjective-global-assessment-sga/2025-sgna-video

11/24/2025

📣 Fueling Better Health: Strengthening Nutrition Risk Awareness in the Community

A new Nutrition Risk Awareness Campaign, led by Aimee Krupanszky-Bowcott, RD, MPH, CDE and Sarah Ross, RD from the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority highlights how community programs can successfully integrate malnutrition screening into everyday care.

Using evidence-based tools from the Canadian Malnutrition Task Force, the team collaborated with dietitians, nurses, physicians, and public health professionals across Winnipeg’s primary and community health settings.

🔎 Key Insights from the Campaign:
• Nearly 1 in 4 adults screened at Nine Circles Community Health Centre were identified as at risk for malnutrition.
• Screening was both feasible and impactful in non-traditional settings, including the Public Health TB Program.

📘 Read the full Success Story:
Learn how community teams embedded screening practices and strengthened communication pathways:
👉 https://nutritioncareincanada.ca/focus-areas/awareness-education/success-stories/view/35

💬 Have your own success story?
We’d love to hear how you’re raising malnutrition awareness or improving nutrition care in your setting:
👉 https://nutritioncareincanada.ca/focus-areas/awareness-education/success-stories -form-nav

11/17/2025

📣 Canadian Malnutrition Awareness Week (CMAW) 2025 – Webinar Summary Now Available!

✨ We’ve put together a 2-page summary highlighting select takeaways from the CMAW 2025 webinar series.
You can find it on our website https://nutritioncareincanada.ca/canadian-malnutrition-awareness-week/about-cmaw

👉 Please note: This summary includes selected highlights and does not capture the full depth of the webinars. To explore the full content, watch the recordings below:

📚 Full list of CMAW 2025 webinars: https://nutritioncareincanada.ca/canadian-malnutrition-awareness-week/webinars
🎥 CMAW 2025 Webinar Recordings
• Sept 25 webinar: https://aspen.digitellinc.com/p/s/aspencns-joint-webinar-beyond-the-scale-muscle-health-and-malnutrition-in-the-era-of-anti-obesity-drugs-31247
• Oct 6–10 webinars: https://cns-scn.ca/education-portal

A big thank-you to Komal Jambusaria, University of Western Ontario placement student, for her support in developing the summary.

11/10/2025

🍎 Nutrition is Medicine! Why a new ISO Standard could be the key to closing the nutrition gap for patients.

📅 Free Webinar — November 13 | 3 PM CET / 9 AM ET

Malnutrition is still one of healthcare’s most overlooked challenges — impacting recovery, outcomes, and quality of life.

Join experts, including from Canadian Malnutrition Task Force (CMTF), to explore how this new ISO standard can help improve nutrition care around the world.

🎙️ Featuring: Jean-Christophe Kremer | Roseann Nasser | Xavier Lavigne | Adela Maghear

💡 What you’ll learn:
✅ The impact of malnutrition in healthcare
✅ Strategies to manage and treat disease-related malnutrition
✅ How the new ISO standard can shape the future of patient care

👉 Register now: https://www.isdi.org/webinar-nutrition-is-medicine-why-a-new-iso-standard-can-help-close-the-nutrition-gap-for-patients/

It has been estimated that up to 50% of in-patients around the world are affected by malnutrition, a serious condition that occurs when a person’s diet does not contain enough nutrients to meet the demands of their body. This can affect growth, physical health, mental well-being, behaviour and man...