MNA-SF Calculator — Mini Nutritional Assessment Short Form
Score the Mini Nutritional Assessment Short Form (MNA-SF) for older adults — intake, weight loss, mobility, acute illness, cognition and BMI or calf size — 0 to 14 with nutritional status.
How it works
MNA-SF = A food intake (0–2) + B weight loss (0–3) + C mobility (0–2) + D stress or acute disease (0 yes / 2 no) + E neuropsychological problems (0–2) + F BMI (0–3) or calf circumference (0 or 3); maximum 14. 12–14 normal nutritional status · 8–11 at risk of malnutrition · 0–7 malnourished.
The Mini Nutritional Assessment Short Form (Rubenstein 2001; revised by Kaiser et al., 2009) is the most widely validated nutrition screen for adults aged 65 and over in the community, hospitals and care homes. It condenses the full 18-item MNA into six questions, and the 2009 revision allows calf circumference in place of BMI when the person cannot be weighed or measured. People scoring 0–11 should have a full nutritional assessment and an intervention plan; screening is usually repeated every 3 months, or yearly in the community.
Worked example
A care-home resident has a moderate fall in food intake (1), lost 2 kg in three months (2), goes out (2), has had no acute illness (2), no psychological problems (2) and a BMI of 22 (2): MNA-SF = 1 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 = 11 / 14 — at risk of malnutrition.
Sources: Kaiser MJ et al. Validation of the Mini Nutritional Assessment Short-Form (MNA-SF). J Nutr Health Aging 2009 · Mini Nutritional Assessment — mna-elderly.com
Frequently asked questions
What do the MNA-SF scores mean?
12–14 points is normal nutritional status, 8–11 means at risk of malnutrition and 0–7 means malnourished. Anyone below 12 should have a fuller assessment, such as the full MNA, and a nutrition plan.
When should I use calf circumference instead of BMI?
Only when BMI cannot be worked out — for example a bed-bound person who cannot be weighed or measured. Measure the widest part of the calf; 31 cm or more scores 3 and under 31 cm scores 0. Do not score both.
Who is the MNA-SF for?
It was developed and validated for adults aged 65 and over. For younger adults in hospital, tools such as MUST or NRS-2002 are more commonly used.
How often should the MNA-SF be repeated?
Common practice is every 3 months for people in hospital or care homes, at each change in condition, and once a year for older adults living at home.
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Clinical decision tool for education and for use by trained clinicians alongside clinical judgement — not a diagnosis and not a substitute for medical assessment. Scores validated in specific populations may not apply to every patient.