MUST (malnutrition)
Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool — 3 parameters.
What it is for
Care home / housebound / chronic illness review.
Use the working calculator
The working MUST (malnutrition) calculator is on our calculators page. It is free and needs no account. Enter the values and it shows the result with the reading that goes with it.
The calculators are free. The trial opens the protocols and pathways they link to.What you enter
The calculator asks for 3 items.
- 1. BMIOptions: > 20 (or > 30 obese) — 0; 18.5–20 — 1; < 18.5 — 2
- 2. Unplanned weight loss (3–6 months)Options: < 5% — 0; 5–10% — 1; > 10% — 2
- 3. Acute disease effectOptions: No / minimal — 0; Acutely ill + no intake / unlikely >5 days — 2
How the result is read
The result is shown as MUST, out of a maximum of 6.
The calculator reads each total as follows. Where a single answer changes the reading (for example sex, age or one extreme value), the working calculator says so.
| Total | Band | What the calculator says |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | Low risk | Routine screening. Hospital weekly · care home monthly · community annually. |
| 1 | Medium risk | Document dietary intake × 3 days. Repeat MUST in 1 wk (hospital) / 1 mo (community). |
| 2 to 6 | High risk | Refer dietitian. Improve nutritional intake / supplements. Treat underlying cause; oral nutritional supplements (Fortisip etc.). |
Sources
These are the sources the calculator cites. Check the current version before relying on a threshold.
Related
For qualified clinicians. A score supports a clinical decision and does not make it: check the inputs, read the cited source, and use the tools in your clinical system for patient care where one is provided.