The Scottish Government has admitted it does not know how widespread malnutrition is amid concern cases among children and the elderly are vastly under-reported and could rise amid the cost-of-living crisis.

It comes after figures obtained by The Herald showed that thousands of youngsters have been treated for malnutrition in Scottish hospitals over the past few years.

Glasgow, where a third of children are estimated to be living in poverty, saw the highest rates with 3895 admissions of children under the age of 18 to an acute site in the health board area from 2018 to 2022.

Figures show numbers soared in 2021, the year after the pandemic broke out, almost doubling from 572 to 1000.

GPs say the numbered cases are likely to be the tip of the iceberg because most children with poor nutrition would be seen by their local doctor and there is no official record of cases.

Meanwhile, a Scottish charity warned yesterday that one in five over 65s is at risk of malnutrition.

READ MORE: 'Beggars belief': Thousands of Scots children treated for malnutrition in hospital 

Food Train, which provides services such as grocery deliveries and home cooking for older people, said rates are  worryingly under-reported.

The Scottish Government told the Herald that population prevalence of both malnutrition and dehydration is unknown as data is not routinely collected.

It said a working group has been set up to look at measures to reduce malnutrition and dehydration and added: ”The remit will include assessing the adequacy of current monitoring arrangements and to make, where appropriate, recommendations on how relevant data collection can be improved.”

The group is due to meet for the first time this month.

Malnutrition could be caused by not having enough to eat, not eating enough of the right things, or being unable to use/absorb the food you do eat because of an underlying medical condition.

Under-nutrition can result in low weight-for-height (wasting), a low height-for-age (stunting), or a child being underweight.

Children who are overweight or obese may also be at risk due to poor diet while illness can affect the body’s ability to absorb nutrients.

READ MORE: 'Tip of the iceberg' warning as charity warns one in five older Scots at risk of under-nourishment

NHS Lothian said 928 children were red flagged for dietary support from January 2018 to June of this year.

The figures prompted concern from anti-poverty campaigners amid rising food prices.

It comes as a charity urged the Scottish Government to increase screening amongst the elderly as official estimates suggest that one in 10 older people are suffering from, or at risk of, malnutrition

The Herald revealed yesterday that Food Train’s Eat Well Age Well project - in partnership with other organisations across Scotland - has screened 2,756 over-65s for signs of malnourishment since January 2019.

They found that 467 (17 per cent) were at risk, but that even this is probably only the “tip of the iceberg”.

Food Train chief executive, Michelle Carruthers, said: “The fact that almost a fifth of the older people who we and our partners have screened were at risk of malnutrition is bad enough.

“But the sad reality is this has to be just the tip of the iceberg. We are screening people who have accessed a service of some kind.

“What about the people who aren’t accessing services and who are slipping through the net?

“Until screening is stepped up across the country, we will not get an accurate picture of those at risk, let alone the numbers of older people who are actually malnourished.”