Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38576127›Full record

ReviewNutrition research reviews2025

Challenges in identifying malnutrition in obesity; An overview of the state of the art and directions for future research.

Natasha Nalucha Mwala, Jos W Borkent, Barbara S van der Meij, Marian A E de van der Schueren

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Nutrition research reviews, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 14 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
14citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

14 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Review
  6. Screening and Diagnosis of Malnutrition in Individuals With Obesity: A Scoping Review of Current Methods.Obesity reviews : an official journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity · 2026
    Article
  7. Article
  8. Article
  9. Article
  10. Article
  11. Article
  12. Article
  13. Observational
  14. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Natasha Nalucha MwalaDepartment of Nutrition, Dietetics and Lifestyle, School of Allied Health, HAN University of Applied Sciences, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.ORCID 0009-0004-2723-0719
Jos W BorkentDepartment of Nutrition, Dietetics and Lifestyle, School of Allied Health, HAN University of Applied Sciences, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.ORCID 0000-0001-8718-4102
Barbara S van der MeijDepartment of Nutrition, Dietetics and Lifestyle, School of Allied Health, HAN University of Applied Sciences, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.ORCID 0000-0002-0412-2801
Marian A E de van der SchuerenDepartment of Nutrition, Dietetics and Lifestyle, School of Allied Health, HAN University of Applied Sciences, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.ORCID 0000-0001-5693-0811

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

(Protein-energy) malnutrition in individuals living with obesity presents complex diagnostic challenges due to the distinctive physiological characteristics of obesity. This narrative review critically examines the identification of malnutrition within the population with obesity, distinguishing malnutrition in obesity from related conditions such as sarcopenic obesity. While noting some shared features, the review highlights key differences between these conditions. The review also highlights the limitations of current malnutrition screening tools, which are not designed for individuals living with obesity. These tools primarily rely on anthropometric measurements, neglecting (among others) nutrient intake assessment, which hinders accurate malnutrition detection. Additionally, this review discusses limitations in existing diagnostic criteria, including the Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition (GLIM) criteria, when applied to individuals living with obesity. Challenges include the identification of appropriate cut-off values for phenotypic criteria (unintentional weight loss, low body mass index and muscle mass) and aetiological criteria such as reduced food intake and inflammation for the population with obesity. Overall, this review emphasises the need for modified screening tools and diagnostic criteria to recognise and assess malnutrition in obesity, leading to improved clinical outcomes and overall wellbeing.

Indexed as

MalnutritionObesityProtein-Energy MalnutritionBody Mass IndexHumansNutritional StatusNutrition AssessmentSarcopeniadouble burdenGLIMmalnutritionobesitysarcopenic obesityscreening tool

Identifiers

PMID38576127
PMCPMC7616526

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.