Dietary management and strategies

Dietary management and strategies

1.17.10 Refer people with severe or very severe ME/CFS for a dietetic assessment by a dietitian with a special interest in ME/CFS.

1.17.11 Monitor people with severe or very severe ME/CFS who are at risk of malnutrition or unintentional weight loss because of:

• restrictive diets
• poor appetite, for example linked with altered taste, smell and texture
• food intolerances
• nausea
• difficulty swallowing and chewing.
  
  Follow the recommendations on screening for malnutrition and indications for nutrition support, in the NICE guideline on nutrition support for adults.

1.17.12 Give advice to support people with severe or very severe ME/CFS, which could include:

• eating little and often
• having nourishing drinks and snacks, including food fortification
• finding easier ways of eating to conserve energy, such as food with softer textures
• using modified eating aids, particularly if someone has difficulty chewing or swallowing
• oral nutrition support and enteral feeding.