Nutricia Advanced Medical Nutrition Supports EU-led Health Action to Address Undernutrition in Older Persons and Patients

LONDON, April 3, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

Nutricia Advanced Medical Nutrition, the specialised healthcare unit of Danone, will serve as a partner in the implementation stage of the Active and Healthy Ageing (AHA) project, the EU-led initiative intended to help older Europeans enjoy a more active and healthy life.

The announcement was made by Emmanuel Faber, Chief Operating Officer Danone, speaking in Brussels at the plenary session of the event "European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing : From Plan to Action". Mr Faber has served on the Steering Group of the AHA project since May 2011.

Responding to an Invitation for Commitments extended by the EU, Nutricia will join a partnership of interested stakeholders, drawn from professional and patient associations and from industry, under the co-ordination of the European Nutrition for Health Alliance (ENHA). This partnership will make a joint commitment to become part of an Action Group to address one priority identified in the Strategic Implementation Plan of the AHA - a specific action for the Prevention of Functional Decline And Frailty.

As an active member of the partnership, Nutricia will join the effort to standardise and embed the practice of routine nutritional screening and follow-up for older patients in hospitals and care homes in the EU, and to stimulate research and pilot projects to study the benefits of screening and follow-up in the community, for older persons living independently who may be at similar risk.

"As people age, their ability to lead active and independent lives and to recover from health setbacks is often compromised by frailty due to inadequate nutritional intake," according to Flemming Morgan, President of Nutricia Advanced Medical Nutrition. "In many cases, this issue can be prevented or mitigated when screening protocols are correctly implemented for patients at nutritional risk. Healthcare systems across the EU should make it a priority to recognise and manage the problem of undernutrition for older people in their care."

Understanding that many different activities and pilot programmes are already ongoing in this area, Nutricia will propose working to co-ordinate and synchronise implementation actions and advocacy at country and regional level across the EU, following the priorities set by the Action Group.  Examples of activities, where Nutricia businesses are already closely involved, include the LPZ Project regarding screening of patients for undernutrition in the Netherlands, led by the University of Maastricht; and the groundbreaking research on independence and cognitive/functional decline being conducted at the Gerontopole of Toulouse, in France.

Nutricia will also work with its established partners, such as the cross-industry Global Coalition on Ageing, and the charity Carers UK, for advocacy around this project; and it welcomes the participation of other nutrition industry players and other stakeholders, in the formation of the Action Group over the summer.

Speaking at the EU event "From Plan To Action", Danone COO Emmanuel Faber commented, "The Innovation Partnership for Active And Healthy Ageing brings together stakeholders from across the healthcare and social spectrum.  By combining their efforts and their expertise, they will be able to take concrete actions to address the growing social challenge of Ageing in the EU.  I am very pleased that Nutricia and Danone will continue to play an active role in this process."

About Nutricia Advanced Medical Nutrition

Nutricia is a specialised healthcare unit of Danone, one of the fastest-growing food companies in the world. Nutricia expands and completes Danone's mission to bring health through food to as many people as possible, by focussing on support for vulnerable people who are at nutritional risk for health reasons. Nutricia works with healthcare professionals to provide nutritional support as an integral part of disease management, especially in paediatrics, in adult patients, and in the care of the elderly.

http://www.nutricia.com

For more information, please contact:

William Green, Public Affairs & Relations,

Nutricia Advanced Medical Nutrition  
E: [email protected] 
T: +31-6-5239-6736

OR

Jo Grierson, Director of Consumer and Healthcare

Euro RSCG London PR
E: [email protected]
T: +44-(0)207-467-9272
M: +44-(0)785-015-5489

SOURCE Nutricia