- The multicentre study, coordinated by ISABIAL and funded by the Carlos III Health Institute, seeks comprehensive strategies for detection, intervention, and social awareness
Alicante (21.10.25). The Carlos III Health Institute (ISCIII) recently hosted, at its Chamartín Campus in Madrid, the 1st Conference on Malnutrition and Dysphagia: Comprehensive Strategies for Health Professionals and Citizens (see full broadcast on ISCIII YouTube), organized within the framework of the NUTRIFAG Project, funded by ISCIII and co‑funded by the European Union. NUTRIFAG is coordinated by the Alicante Institute for Health and Biomedical Research (ISABIAL) and involves the participation of nine hospitals across seven autonomous communities (Huelva, Navarra, Murcia, Zaragoza, Lleida, Alicante, Valencia, and Gran Canaria).
The event brought together healthcare professionals from across Spain, along with representatives of patient and caregiver associations, who participated both in person and online. The aim was to address, from an interdisciplinary perspective, the challenges of disease‑related malnutrition and dysphagia, and to promote comprehensive strategies for detection, intervention, and social awareness.
Dr. Teresa Moreno‑Casbas, director of the Nursing Research Unit (Investén‑isciii) and principal investigator of the CIBERFES Group on Care for Frailty and Healthy Ageing (CIBER‑ISCIII’s Ageing and Frailty Area), emphasized during the opening session “the need to promote research projects such as NUTRIFAG, in which interdisciplinary and multicentre collaboration, together with scientific rigor, provide new evidence to guide clinical practice”.
The programme of the conference included three round tables, focusing respectively on the development and objectives of the project; the role of interdisciplinary teams in clinical management; and citizen participation through the project’s Citizen Advisory Group. The conference, which had the scientific endorsement of Investén‑isciii, highlighted several key conclusions that will shape the future roadmap in this field:
• Early detection of malnutrition and dysphagia must be a priority in healthcare, especially for older adults or individuals in vulnerable situations.
• An interdisciplinary approach—integrating nursing, nutrition, medicine, speech therapy, rehabilitation, and social work professionals, together with the perspectives of patients and their caregivers—is essential to ensure comprehensive and individualized care for hospitalized patients at risk of malnutrition and dysphagia.
• The implementation of systematic screening and assessment methods—from admission to discharge—within more agile care pathways is essential to reduce complications, improve quality of life, and optimize healthcare resources.
In line with these conclusions, the value of collaborative work among the participating centers was emphasized, as well as the importance of clinical leadership and institutional support. Challenges such as workload and coordination between teams were also mentioned, and it was highlighted that commitment and cooperation have been key to advancing and improving the quality of evidence‑based care.
The active role of citizens in NUTRIFAG was also highlighted through the Project Advisory Group, which brings together caregivers, representatives of patient associations, healthcare professionals, and managers. This participatory space strengthens collaboration between the scientific community and society, and underscores the importance of accessible communication, health education, and the effective involvement of citizens in defining priorities, developing studies, and contributing to decision‑making.
The closing session, led by María Isabel Orts Cortés, principal investigator of the study through ISABIAL and professor at the University of Alicante (UA), summarized the project’s main learnings and the future challenges in research and clinical practice.
