CHAPTER 3

NUTRITIONAL ASSESSMENT
 INTRODUCTION

Health is the extent to which an Individual or group is able on

the one hand, to realize aspiration and satisfy needs; and, on
the other hand , to change or cope with the environment
(WHO, 1992). A person's nutritional status is a good indicator
of one's state of health. Ideally, all persons should undergo
periodic nutritional status screening and assessment
throughout their lives, and not just during periods of illness.
BASIC CONCEPTS AND
DEFINITIONS
Nutritional screening - is defined as
the process of identifying
characteristics known to be
associated with nutritional problems.

A person's Nutriture
(nutritional status) - is the
condition of body that
results from the utilization
of essential nutrients made
available from his/ her daily
diet.
Assessment of the nutrional status
of a community or population is the
appraisal of magnitude and
geographical distribution of its
nutrition problems, as affected
directly or indirectly by available
information on determinant
Nutrition surveillance- is
ecological factors
carried out by regular or
periodic evaluation of
measurements that can be
used to indicate present as
well as future changes in
nutrional status.
Medical nutrition therapy( MNT)- is
a specific nutrition service and
procedure used to treat an illness,
injury, or condition.
Objective Of Nutritional
Assessment
 Specific objectives are to:
1. identify specific nutrition
The main objective is to problems;
collect basic data on 2. determine the extent and
nutritional status of the geographic distribution of
population to be used as malnutrition problems;
guide in planning, 3. determine the ecological
formulation and factors that directly and
modifications of action indirectly affect
program intended to malnutrition; and
improve the nutrition and 4. make local government,
health of the community/ civic organizations, and
population. other fund- controlling
administrators to realize
the extent of the
problems.
FOUR GENERAL METHODS OF
NUTRIONAL ASSESSMENT
Anthropometric Assessment - are
inexpensive and easily obtained.
they should be repeated on an
individual to note the degree of
change in nutritional status over
time. However, most changes are not
usually measurable for at least a
month.

The Hamwi Method, a short cut to determining ideal

body weight for adults:

IBW for males= 106 pounds for 5 feet plus 6 pounds

per inch over 5 feet

IBW for females= 100 pounds for 5 feet plus 5

pounds per inch over 5 feet.
 Biochemical Assessment - many of
the routine blood and urine
laboratory tests found in patients'
charts are useful in providing an
object assessment of nutritional
status.
The advantages of biochemical assessments are:

1. they can detect early sub- clinical status of nutrient deficiency

2. they identify specific nutrient deficiency.
3. they are objective tests, independent of the emotional and
emotional and subjective factors that usually affect the
investigator or reliability of the patient's recollection.

The disadvantages of biochemical assessments are:

1. they are expensive and time- consuming

2. standard could vary with wide range.
3. there may be problems in interpreting results.

 Clinical Assessment - Is the physical

examination (P.E) of an individual for signs and
symptoms suggestive of nutritional health and /or
clinical pathology.

The advantages of clinical assessment are:

1. they can be performed in a large number of
individuals in a short period of time.
2. they are less expensive; do not require special
equipment or laboratory set- up.
3. Other clinical staff may perform physical
examinations, given the proper training.

The disadvantages of clinical assessment are:

1. Deficiencies may not be clearly manifested and
specific; thus, needing further investigation
2. overlapping of deficiency states
3. bias of the observer
4. bias of the observed or person being examined
5. reliability of the patient's recollection about his
personal and family medical history.

 The 24 hour food recall - the Food Records - these can

individual is asked by the provide a more realistic
interview to report all foods picture of a patient's usual
and beverages consumed intake.
during the past 24 hours.

Food Frequency
Questionnaire ( FFQ)- Is an
easy form to follow, although
it could be time- consuming,
depending on the number of
pages listing foods and
beverage study the food
habit and choices of a
person.
The End