Biology 45– Nutrition Assessment

Nutrition Assessment
• Measures Nutritional Status
• Asks the questions: Is a person
well nourished or not?

Biology 45

Nutrition Assessment
• Optimal Nutrition
• Malnutrition

Undernutrition
• Risk of Deficiency
• Risk of Underweight

Overnutrition
• Risk of Toxicity
• Risk of Overweight
• Chronic diseases
Biology 45

Nutrition Assessment
of Individuals - Tools
• Anthropometric data

Height

Weight

Waist
Circumference

% Body Fat
Biology 45

Anna Miller, MS, RD 1

Biology 45– Nutrition Assessment

Nutrition Assessment
of Individuals - Tools
• Physical Examination

AKA Clinical Examination

Nurse or Doctor

What you can see
•Hair, Skin,Eyes, Mouth, Gait, etc.

Biology 45

Nutrition Assessment
of Individuals - Tools
• Laboratory tests

Blood or Urine is tested for:
•The Nutrient
•A Metabolite of the Nutrient
•A Transport Protein of the Nutrient

Biology 45

Nutrition Assessment
of Individuals - Tools
• Historical information

Health History

Socioeconomic History

Drug History

Diet History

Biology 45

Anna Miller, MS, RD 2

Biology 45– Nutrition Assessment

Diet History
• 24 Hour Recall
• Usual Intake
• Food Frequency
questionnaire
• Food Record

Biology 45

Deficiency Terminology
• Primary Deficiency

Inadequate intake
• Secondary Deficiency

Adequate intake – other problem

• Subclinical Deficiency

Covert (not visible) symptoms
• Clinical Deficiency

Overt (visible) symptoms
Biology 45

Case Study
• 22 year old female has bleeding
gums from lack of vitamin C. Diet
history reveals almost no fruit and
vegetable intake.

What category of deficiency is

this?

Biology 45

Anna Miller, MS, RD 3

Biology 45– Nutrition Assessment

Case Study
77 year old male has been on INH,
a drug to treat TB, for 7 months,
resulting in low erythrocyte
transaminase activity, the only
evidence of an inadequate vitamin
B6 status.

What category of deficiency is

this?
Biology 45

Nutrition Assessment of
Populations
• National nutrition surveys

National Health and Nutrition
Examination Survey (NHANES)

What we Eat in America

National health goals

Healthy People 2010

Biology 45

What is a Healthy Diet?

Biology 45

Anna Miller, MS, RD 4

Biology 45– Nutrition Assessment

Diet Planning Principles

• Adequacy
• Balance
• Moderation
• Variety
• Calorie (energy)
control
• Nutrient density
Biology 45

Dietary Assessment
Tools
• DRIs – see inside covers of text

EAR, RDA, AI, UL, AMDR
• MyPyramid
• Dietary Guidelines for Americans

These tools can also be used for

planning a healthy diet
Biology 45

DRIs
• Set by a committee of scientists
• Updated every 5 years
• Apply to healthy people

Actual value depends on age and gender
• Apply to Americans and Canadians
• Apply to groups, not necessarily
individuals
• Best we have in terms of standards.
• RDAs and AI are more than the minimum
requirement. Are they optimal?
Biology 45

Anna Miller, MS, RD 5

Biology 45– Nutrition Assessment

Dietary Guidelines
for Americans

Biology 45

The New Food Guide

Pyramid

Biology 45
Copyright 2005 Wadsworth Group, a division of Thomson Learning
Copyright 2005 Wadsworth Group, a division of Thomson Learning

MyPyramid
• Individual recommendations
• A diet that meets the
recommendations has balance and
variety
• Serving sizes are specific, but not
necessarily what’s listed on label
• Better than old pyramid
• Go to: www.mypyramid.gov
Biology 45

Anna Miller, MS, RD 6

Biology 45– Nutrition Assessment

Food Labels
• Not covered in this class
• FYI - Read on your own!!
• Not on Midterm Exam 1

Biology 45

A Healthy Diet is one that…

• Provides enough of the “good things”:

CHO

Protein

Fat

Vitamins

Minerals

Water

Fiber

Phytochemicals
Biology 45

and at the same time…

• Is not high in the “not-so-good
things”:

Saturated fat

Trans fat

Refined starch

Sugar

Sodium

Alcohol

Biology 45

Anna Miller, MS, RD 7