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

London (ots/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: william.green@nutricia.com
T: +31-6-5239-6736
OR
Jo Grierson, Director of Consumer and Healthcare
Euro RSCG London PR
E: Jo.grierson@eurorscg.com
T [Jo.grierson@eurorscg.comT ]: +44-(0)207-467-9272
M: +44-(0)785-015-5489

ots Originaltext: Nutricia
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