How long can the MNA-SF typically take to administer?

• A. Less than 5 minutes
• B. 15-20 minutes
• C. 30 minutes
• D. 60 minutes

Answer: (A)

The speed of this screening tool is its strength. The MNA-SF is a concise questionnaire—the six items cover appetite, recent weight loss, mobility, psychological stress or acute disease, neuropsychological problems, and a quick anthropometric measure (BMI or calf circumference). Because it relies on a small number of straightforward questions and readily obtainable measurements, it is designed to be completed quickly in a typical clinical encounter. In practice, a trained clinician can finish the assessment in just a few minutes, usually under five, provided recent weight and height or BMI data are available. This brevity is what makes it so useful for rapid malnutrition risk screening to flag patients who need a full nutrition assessment.