Junk Science Nation
/'3.6 million people in Britain suffer from malnutrition Hospitals see 44% rise in cases as cost to the NHS hits £7.3bn'
Whenever you read an article like this one in the Independent, with no references or links but littered with terms like, 'doctors estimate', 'experts said', 'doctors...called for action' 'The British association for (please insert suitably impressive terminology here) this or that 'estimates the cost of' (overeating, undereating, underfloorheating or whatever) at £X gazzillion pounds' you know you've arrived in the land of bullshit.Amid estimates that up to 3.6 million people are suffering from malnutrition, including conditions found in sub-Saharan Africa, MPs and doctors last night called for action to tackle poor diets, and for all patients to be screened for malnutrition. They called for the Government's National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice) guidelines to be made compulsory.
In 2002, 2,729 people in English hospitals were diagnosed with malnutrition. Last year, the number had risen to 3,931.
The British Association for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition estimates malnutrition costs the NHS more than £7.3bn a year, double the annual obesity bill. Doctors estimate that up to 6 per cent of the population could be suffering from malnutrition and serious vitamin and mineral deficiencies caused by poor diet. Most do not have their conditions identified.
Experts said a reliance on pre-prepared food and failure to eat enough fresh fruit and vegetables is depleting levels of essential micro-nutrients. The deficiencies are found in teenagers, the elderly, adults and babies as young as 18 months. They warn the balance of nutrients is also disturbed by binge drinking, excess sugar and drug use.
The Conservative peer Lord Hanningfield, who obtained the hospital figures, said it was "deeply disturbing that the number of patients suffering from malnutrition has almost doubled in the last five years. Far too many patients leave hospital less nourished than when they were admitted.
"It is time patients were routinely screened for malnutrition, and offered specialist nutritional support."
If confirmation is required you next check out the individuals and organizations involved. After turd-examiner in chief and so called 'expert' Dr Gillian McKeith PhD(sic) - short for phud! - was shown up for the charlatan she is, journalists had to cast around for another suitable celebrity expert.
This time they came up with Dr Mike Stroud (who is at least a real doctor), best known for his record-breaking expeditions with Sir Ranulph Fiennes, since they first teamed up in 1986. As a leading authority on survival, nutrition and endurance Dr Stroud appears frequently on TV and radio (natch). He was the endurance and medical expert on all three series of BBC TV’s, ‘Are You Tough Enough for the SAS’. He is also presenter and endurance expert on a new BBC TV series, ‘The Challenge’. The link above takes you to his management site, where he comes under 'Artists'.
Anna Denny, MSc, has worked at The British Nutrition Foundation since September 2005.
And the organization, BAPEN? Find out for yourself at the 'about/history' page on their website. Oh, save yourself the trouble, it's just one line: 'The history page will appear here soon.' As soon as they've got some, I presume.
Their 'vision'? 'To help ensure that those suffering from malnutrition or other nutritional problems are appropriately recognised and managed.' Who'd have guessed?
Then we have the politician, Lord Hanningfield, long time local councilor, ex-farmer and, since May 2005, Shadow Minister for Local Government and for Transport (Diet, Nutrition and Faeces Examination surely? -Ed).
Now let's take a closer look at that article, headlined, '3.6 million people in Britain suffer from malnutrition Hospitals see 44% rise in cases as cost to the NHS hits £7.3bn..
There is just one FACT in the Indie article:
In 2002, 2,729 people in English hospitals were diagnosed with malnutrition. Last year, the number had risen to 3,931.
There are over 1,000 NHS hospitals in England.In 2002, on average, each hospital came across about 2.5 cases of 'malnutrition' a year. In 2006 it rose to about 4 cases. Sub-Saharan Africa it ain't.
But here's the real killer quote from the Noble Lord himself: 'Far too many patients leave hospital less nourished than when they were admitted.'
LESS nourished? I thought the problem was junk food and ready-made meals? No! It would appear that hospitals, where the vast majority of dieticians, nutritionists and other sundry experts work, can manage to make people who eat crap even less nourished after a stay.
Still, losing a few pounds and finding your vitamin and mineral levels depleted has got to be better than losing half your face to the MRSA bug. They can't feed you properly, they can't wash their hands - better stay out of hospital people, even if it does mean living on KFC.
Mmmm, KFC...
