Nutritional Status Flashcards
Explain what nutritional status is
The body’s condition results from the intake, absorption, and use of nutrition and the influence of disease-related factors.
Why do we need to assess nutritional status?
Identify underlying pathologies that lead to nutrition-related conditions
Diagnose nutrition-related conditions
Assess the extent of nutrition-related health issues that affect an individual or population group
Plan necessary interventions or treatments
Monitor the efficacy of interventions or treatments
Explain what nutritional assessments are
Nutritional assessments are structured and standardized processes of collecting and interpreting information in order to make decisions about the nature and cause of nutrition-related health issues that affect an individual
Name the 5 categories for nutritional assessments (A to F)
Anthropometry
Biochemistry
Clinical
Dietary
Environment
Functional
Explain what nutritional assessments are carried out In anthropometry
Weight
Height
BMI
Fat mass or Fat-free mass
Bod pod
Ulna length
Demi Spam
Knee height
MUAC
Skinfold thickness
Waist circumference
WHR
Explain what nutritional assessments are carried out in biochemistry
Blood sample analysis
Lab tests - cholesterol, proteins, blood glucose
Micronutrients, vitamins and mineral levels
Explain what nutritional assessments are carried out in clinal assessments
Fat analysis
Body temperature
Muscel
Hand grip strength
Dental Health
Heart rate
Blood pressure
Explain what nutritional assessments are carried out in dietary assessments
Eating habits
Dietary preferences
Allergies, intolerances, religious observations
Exercise
Explain what nutritional assessments are carried out on the environment of a patient
Lifestyle
Occupation
Financial Situation
Explain the types of nutritional assessments that are functional
Mental health issues
Disability
Malnutrition
Explain what malnutrition is
Malnutrition refers todeficiencies or excesses in nutrient intake, imbalance of essential nutrients, or impaired nutrient utilization. The double burden of malnutrition consists of both undernutrition and overweight and obesity, as well as diet-related noncommunicable diseases
Explain what Undernutrition and Overnutrition are
Undernutrition - Insufficient intake of energy and nutrients to meet an individual’s need to maintain good health. This leads to a reduction in overall body mass
Overnutrition - Insufficient or excessive intake of energy and nutrients to meet an individual’s needs to maintain good health. leads to an increase in body mass.
Explain what the MUST screening tool is
Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool
4 categories:
BMI
Weight
Acute disease effect
Overall risk score
How is BMI calculated?
Weight/ High x Height
Weight in KG and Height in m
Explain the BMI scores
Score 2 - Less than 18.5kg/m2
Score 1 - Between 18.5 and 20 kg/m2
Score 0 - More than 20kg/m2
How to calculate weight loss percentage
Weight 3 months ago - current weight/weight 3 months ago x 100
Explain and give the scores used for acute disease effect
Acute disease effect score is used when a patient is so unwell they are consuming less than 500 calories per day or the patient is at the end of their life
Score 2 - Yes
Score 0 - No
Explain weight loss percentage scores
Score 2 - More than 10%
Score 1 - 5% to 10%
Score 0 - Less than 5%
Explain what happens to a person’s body who has under-nutrition
Weight loss
Predominantly fat and muscle
‘Vital Organs’ are spared as long as possible
Or impaired growth
Impaired muscle function
Reduced immune function
Impaired synthesis of new protein
Psychological impairment
Increased economic costs
Explain what impaired muscle function is
Skeletal muscle = reduced mobility, increased risk of falls
Respiratory muscles = increased risk of chest infection, reduced exercise capacity, delayed weaning from ventilator
Cardiac = bradycardia, hypotension, reduced cardiac output
GI tract = reduced gut wall integrity, increasing the potential for micro-organism access
Explain what reduced immune function is
Reduced phagocytosis, chemotaxis, T lymphocytes
Reduced intracellular bacterial destruction
Increased rate of immune cell destruction
Poor response to vaccination
Explain what impaired synthesis of new protein is
Poor wound healing
Increased risk of ulceration
Delayed recovery from surgery
Growth faltering/ cessation in children
Reduced fertility in men and women
Explain examples of psychological impairment
Depression
Reduced motivation
Reduced quality of life
Life-long intellectual impairment if undernourished in infancy
What factors cause over-nutrition and give examples?
Metabolic - diabetes, hypertension, stroke, cancer
Physical osteoarthritis, chronic back pain, skin problems, sleep apnoea (stop breathing while sleeping)
Psychological - depression, social isolation, impaired relationships
Economic - employment, financial status
What does a lack of iodine result in?
Hypothyroidism
Goiter
Infertility
Weight gain
What does a lack of vitamin D result in?
Muscle weakness
Depression
Bone pain
Tiredness
What does a lack of iron result in?
Fatigue
Dizziness or lightheadedness
Pale skin
Cold hand and/or feet
What does a lack of thiamine (Vitamin B1) result in?
Heart failure
Chest related pain
Fatigue
Weight loss
Memory loss
Seizures
What does a lack of niacin (Vitamin B3) result in?
Depression
Dementia
Dermatitis
Alopecia
Pellagra
What does a lack of Vitamin C result in?
Scurvy
