SEFI-nutrition | Principle

PrincipLe OF SEFI®

SEFI® allows a visual assessment of the patient’s food intake, using a visual analogue scale, or a choice between consumed portions.

SEFI® aims are:

early and easily detecting a decrease in oral energy intake in in- or outpatients at hospital, which is present in 69% of hospitalized (1) patients and strongly associated with the risk of malnutrition,
diagnosing malnutrition in older patients at nursing home, or in the community practice by the general practitioner,
following up food intake at hospital or nursing home.

The Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition (GLIM), including the European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (ESPEN) included reduced food intake as one of the top five criteria to diagnose malnutrition. (2) SEFI® takes part in the process of the screening for malnutrition and aims at improving daily care.

If SEFI® shows a risk of malnutrition, an assessment of nutritional status should be performed. Early detection of the risk of malnutrition is a major public health issue, and the ESPEN recommends an early and systematic detection of malnutrition for all hospitalized patients. (3)

n.b.: SEFI® does not replace a food survey conducted by a dietician if needed.

The Simple Evaluation of Food Intake® is quickly and early identifying:

patients with malnutrition or at risk of malnutrition at hospital, at nursing home, or in the community practice

patients needing nutrition support, such as oral nutritional supplements (ONS), enteral, or parenteral nutrition.

1. Thibault R, et al. Assessment of food intake in hospitalised patients: A 10-year comparative study of a prospective hospital survey. Clin Nutr 2011; 30: 289-296.

2. Cederholm, et al. GLIM criteria for the diagnosis of malnutrition: a consensus report from the global clinical nutrition community. Clin Nutr 2018, Sep 3. pii: S0261-5614(18)31344-X. doi: 10.1016/j.clnu.2018.08.002.

3. Kondrup J, et al. Educationnal and Clinical Practice Committee, European Society of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (ESPEN). ESPEN guidelines for Nutrition Screening 2002. Clin Nutr 2003;22:415-21.