Malnutrition risk in older adults. Free with attribution.
MNA-SF (Mini Nutritional Assessment — Short Form) is a validated clinical instrument used to assess malnutrition risk in older adults. The instrument contains 6 items.
Source / attribution: Rubenstein LZ et al. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2001;56(6):M366-M372. © Société des Produits Nestlé. Free for clinical use with attribution.
The instrument's primary construct — malnutrition risk in older adults — is operationalized through a fixed set of items, each with a defined response format. This standardisation is what allows MNA-SF scores to be compared meaningfully across clinicians, sites, and studies.
Like all screening or assessment instruments, MNA-SF is a structured aid — not a diagnostic test in isolation. Results should be interpreted alongside history, examination, and clinical context. Where a score crosses an actionable threshold, the next step is typically a more detailed clinical evaluation rather than a definitive diagnosis.
Answer all 6 items below to see your MNA-SF score and interpretation.
Each item is scored on a 3-point scale (0–2). Your score updates live as you answer.
All scoring runs in your browser. No data is sent anywhere — close the tab and the answers are gone.
MNA-SF uses simple summation: each item's selected response is converted to a numeric value, and the values are added to produce a total score. Reverse-scored items are inverted before summation.
The cutoffs below are drawn from the published validation literature. Always interpret in clinical context.
| Score range | Band | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| 0–7 | Malnourished | Refer to dietitian; consider nutritional support. |
| 8–11 | At risk of malnutrition | Initiate nutritional intervention; consider full MNA. |
| 12–14 | Normal nutritional status | No intervention needed; rescreen periodically. |
This is an illustrative walkthrough, not a real patient. Follow the same four steps with your own answers — or use the live calculator at the top of this page.
Read each question and choose the response that best fits. Each response has a number next to it — that number is the item's score. The example below uses illustrative answers.
| # | Item | Example response | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Has food intake declined in the past 3 months due to loss of appetite, digestive problems, or chewing/swallowing difficulties? | No decrease | 2 |
| 2 | Weight loss in the past 3 months | 1 – 3 kg | 2 |
| 3 | Mobility | Able to get out of bed but does not go out | 1 |
| 4 | Has suffered psychological stress or acute disease in past 3 months? | No | 2 |
| 5 | Neuropsychological problems | Mild dementia | 1 |
| 6 | BMI (kg/m²) — or calf circumference if BMI unavailable | BMI 21 – 23 | 2 |
Add up all the item scores you noted in Step 1.
2 + 2 + 1 + 2 + 1 + 2 = 10
Find the row in the interpretation table whose range contains your total:
Total = 10 falls between 8 and 11 → At risk of malnutrition
At risk of malnutrition. Initiate nutritional intervention; consider full MNA.
A score is one input alongside history and examination. MNA-SF supports clinical judgment — it does not replace it.
If MNA-SF doesn't fit your context, related instruments in nutrition include:
| Scale | Measures | Items | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| MUST | Screen for adult malnutrition risk | 3 | — |
| Barthel Index | Functional independence in ADLs | 10 | — |
| GDS-15 | Depression screening in older adults | 15 | — |
| Katz ADL | Functional independence in basic ADLs | 6 | — |
| MoCA | Cognitive screening | — | ≈ 10 minutes |
| Lawton IADL | Functional independence in instrumental ADLs | 8 | — |
| Timed Up and Go | Mobility and fall risk in older adults | 1 | — |
| FINDRISC | 10-year risk of developing type 2 diabetes | 8 | — |
MNA-SF (Mini Nutritional Assessment — Short Form) is a validated instrument that assesses malnutrition risk in older adults.
MNA-SF contains 6 items. Items are summed to produce a total score.
Scores of 12–14 fall in the "Normal nutritional status" band. No intervention needed; rescreen periodically.
Scores of 0–7 fall in the "Malnourished" band. Refer to dietitian; consider nutritional support.
MNA-SF is free to use with attribution. Rubenstein LZ et al. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2001;56(6):M366-M372. © Société des Produits Nestlé. Free for clinical use with attribution.
Rubenstein LZ et al. Screening for undernutrition in geriatric practice — MNA-SF. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2001;56(6):M366-M372.
No. MNA-SF is a structured assessment aid. A score is one input alongside history, examination, and clinical context. Treatment decisions should never rest on a screening score alone.
MNA-SF is supported by the following peer-reviewed sources: