Singapore’s silent crisis: Is grandpa eating well and enough?

A worrying trend is emerging among Singapore’s elderly – four in 10 hospital patients aged 65 and above were found to be at risk of malnutrition in 2024, up from three in 10 in 2022. Even beyond the hospital, 22 per cent of adults aged 60 and above were found to be at moderate to high risk of malnutrition.

Professor Teo Yik Ying, NUS Vice President of Global Health and Dean of the Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health at NUS, delineated the dangers of malnutrition such as increased susceptibility to illnesses, loss of muscle mass, and compromised cognitive functions among others, and discussed the intermingling financial, social, medical and cultural factors that are fuelling this trend.

To tackle this problem, Prof Teo underscored the need for practical, affordable and sustainable solutions coordinated across health, social care and community networks.

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