Researchers in Australia have developed a new tool, a four-question survey, that has been found to be effective in detecting nutrition issues among pediatric patients.

However, neither screening tool was highly effective at detecting patients whose growth was stunted due to malnutrition or patients who were overweight. Further refinement of PNST could improve this performance.
The PNST has the further advantage of being easier to administer than the SGNA or other screening tools. With only four questions and no requirements for further personnel training, the PNST can be administered quickly and simply upon patient admission.
While the PNST showed promise in this study, the researchers suggest further study is needed to independently validate its use and to refine it for more effective use.
Source-Eurekalert