To assess and summary the guideline best evidence on malnutrition risk screening in adult inpatients so as to provide a reference for malnutrition risk screening of adult inpatients.

Guidelines on malnutrition risk screening in adult inpatients were systematically retrieved in nutrition association official website, guideline website and database and were screened. All of the guidelines were assessed by 4 trained researchers with the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation (AGREE Ⅱ) . Guidelines with level C were excluded, and guidelines with level A and B were selected to extract, translate and summary the recommendations.

A total of 213 guidelines were retrieved and 140 were selected after eliminating repetitive guidelines. Finally, 13 guidelines were included after eliminating 128 guidelines by reading titles and abstracts. AGREE Ⅱ evaluation results showed that there were 3 guidelines with level A and 10 guidelines with level B. Analysis and summary showed that a total of 16 items of 3 classes best evidence on malnutrition risk screening in adult inpatients were selected including screening qualification, population, time and tools.

In this study, guidelines best evidence on malnutrition risk screening in adult inpatients provides a credible reference for clinical practice. Population with high risk of malnutrition should be assessed in comprehensive nutrition and should be treated in nutritional department when necessary.

Malnutrition; Risk assessment; Guideline; Adult inpatients; Evidence summary; Recommendations