Dietary, biochemical and anthropometric data indicate good nutritional status, in general, in community-dwelling, healthy elderly people, at least in the USA. In a sample of 209 men over 65 years of age without acute disease-related nutritional risk factors, mean intake of nutrients generally met or exceeded the recommended dietary values, with the exception of calories, although 7% of subjects consumed inadequate amounts of thiamine, vitamin A, vitamin C and calcium. Few subjects were extremely underweight or obese, although body fat, as assessed by skinfold thickness, fell over the two years of evaluation. The prevalence of malnutrition in patients with chronic disease living in the community in the UK is estimated to be around 8%, however. In this study of more than 11 000 men and women aged 18 years or over, consultation rates in general practice and prescription rates were lowest amongst patients with a body-mass index between 20 and 25. Hospital outpatient referral rates were not related to nutritional status, but both hospital admission rates and mortality were greatest in people with a body-mass index(BMI) (kg/m2) below 20, and declined as BMI increased.