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mAbstractFDisease-related undernutrition is signi¢cant in Europeanhospitals but is seldom treated. In1999, the Council of Europe decided to collect information regarding Nutrition programmes in hospitals and for this purpose a network consisting of national experts from12 of the Partial Agreement member states was established.The aimwas to review the current practice in Europe regardinghospital foodprovision, to highlight de¢ciencies and to issue recommendations in improve the nutritional care and support of hospitalised patients. The data collection regarding the nutritional care providers and their practices of nutritional care and support showed that theuse of nutritional risk screeningand assess-ment, andof nutritional support and counsellingwas sparse and inconsistent, and that the responsibilities in these con-texts were unclear. Besides, the educational level with regard to nutritional care and support was limited at all levels. All patients have the right to expect that their nutritional needs will be ful¢lled during a hospitalisation. Optimal supply of food is aprerequisite for anoptimal e¡ectof the speci¢c treatmento¡ered topatients. Hence, the responsibilities of sta¡ categories and the hospital management with respect to procuring nutritional care and support should be clearly as-signed. Also, a general improvement in the educational level of all sta ¡ groups is needed.r 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved. Key words: nutritional support; hospital food; respon