Margot Gosney is Professor of Elderly Care Medicine at the hospital and also director of the University's Clinical Health Sciences. She said: "Sixty per cent of elderly patients come into hospital malnourished and, unfortunately, the percentage is even worse when they leave. When someone comes into hospital they are particularly vulnerable because of infection, or trauma or surgery and we need to make sure they get the nourishment they need to recover. We want to improve the lot of older people."

Professor James Goodwin, Head of Research at Age UK, the new force combining Age Concern and Help the Aged, said: "With people in later life accounting for two thirds of all acute hospital in-patients, it is essential that more is done to improve nutrition in hospitals. Malnutrition can have a huge impact on the health of people in later life, especially those who are hospitalised, where diet plays such an important role in recovery. We are therefore delighted to be funding this crucial research and look forward to some exciting results."

reading.ac