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:
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early and easily detecting detection of a decrease in oral energy intake in hospitalized(1-3) or ambulatory(4,5) patients, which is present in 69% of hospitalized patients(6) and strongly associated with the risk of malnutrition ;
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diagnosing malnutrition in older patients at nursing home, or in the community practice by the general practitioner ;(7-8)
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following up food intake at hospital or nursing home ;(9)
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Assessing the patient's prognosis.(10,11)
The international consensus Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition (GLIM), which includes the European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (ESPEN)(12), as well as the French National Authority for Health (HAS)(13), has integrated reduced food intake as an etiological criterion for diagnosing malnutrition(12,13). SEFI® is part of the malnutrition diagnostic process and aims to improve its management.
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.(14)
If the patient is at nutritional risk and oral energy intake is ≤ 50% of nutritional requirements, ESPEN recommends that nutritional treatment be initiated.(9)
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:
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patients with malnutrition or at risk of malnutrition at hospital, at nursing home, or in the community practice ;(1-5,7-8)
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patients needing nutrition support, such as oral nutritional supplements (ONS), enteral, or parenteral nutrition ;(15)
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patients with a poor prognosis: at risk of death(1,10) or hospitalisation.(10,11)