Senate Resolution No. 192

BY: Senator BIAGGI

MEMORIALIZING Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim
October 4-8, 2021, as Malnutrition Awareness Week in
the State of New York

WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to recognize
official weeks that are set aside to increase awareness of serious
conditions that affect the lives of citizens of New York State; and

WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its
long-standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to
memorialize Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim October 4-8, 2021, as
Malnutrition Awareness Week in the State of New York, in conjunction
with the observance of National Malnutrition Awareness Week; and

WHEREAS, Remaining true to its mission, Malnutrition Awareness Week
raises awareness of malnutrition and its negative effects on individuals
and health care costs; and

WHEREAS, Experts agree that nutrition status is a direct measure of
patient health and that good nutrition can keep people healthy and out
of healthcare institutions, thus reducing healthcare costs which can be
up to $42 billion annually for hospital stays involving malnutrition;
and

WHEREAS, Inadequate or unbalanced nutrition, known as malnutrition,
is particularly prevalent in vulnerable populations, such as
hospitalized patients, older adults, and minority populations; these
populations statistically shoulder the highest incidences of the most
severe chronic illnesses such as diabetes, kidney disease, cancer, and
cardiovascular disease that are also impacted by nutrition; and

WHEREAS, Malnutrition is exacerbated by the global COVID-19 health
pandemic which has intensified disparities and social isolation; it is
further compounded by food insecurity and federal legislation which has
allocated supplemental funding for federal community nutrition programs;
and

WHEREAS, Illness, injury, and malnutrition can result in the loss of
lean body mass, leading to complications that impact good patient health
outcomes, including recovery from surgery, illness, or disease; and

WHEREAS, Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) care plans
implemented by a team of multidisciplinary healthcare professionals can
improve patient nutrition to support a strong recovery and help reduce
risk of complications from elective surgeries; and

WHEREAS, Despite the recognized link between good nutrition and good
health, nutrition screening and intervention have not been
systematically incorporated across the continuum of care; and

WHEREAS, Clinical quality measures can help improve nutrition
screening and intervention, and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid
Services (CMS) for the first time has approved multiple

malnutrition-specific clinical quality measures for two CMS qualified
clinical data registries; and

WHEREAS, A collaborative effort among key stakeholders in the public
and private sectors continues to be required to increase awareness of,
reduce, and prevent malnutrition and the National Blueprint: Achieving
Quality Malnutrition Care for Older Adults, 2020 Update serves as a
template for such collaboration; and

WHEREAS, The American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition
(ASPEN), was the first to establish a National Malnutrition Awareness
Week in 2012; and

WHEREAS, This Legislative Body recognizes the importance of
Malnutrition Awareness Week in promoting public and media attention to
the seriousness of malnutrition, and for working to improve education
about its causes and its treatments, as well as how to help those who
are struggling with this debilitating condition; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
memorialize Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim October 4-8, 2021, as
Malnutrition Awareness Week in the State of New York; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo, Governor of the State of
New York.