The PaperWeight Armband is a non-medical, non-intrusive tool used to identify and deal with malnutrition. It enables carers, volunteers or health and social care professionals to broach the subject of malnutrition.
A person is classed as malnourished if they have:
- A BMI (Body Mass Index) of less than 18.5
- Unintentional weight loss greater than 10% within the past 3-6 months
- A BMI of less than 20 and unintentional weight loss greater than 5% within the past 3-6 months
Salford findings since the introduction of the paperweight armband:
- Reduction in hospital admissions
- 50% increase in reporting of underweight BMI in primary care after 1 year
- Reduction in expenditure on oral nutritional supplements of over £300,000 in 3 years