The Importance Of Malnutrition

800 Words2 Pages

Nutrition is a crucial element in living a healthy life. Nutrition is defined broadly as the study of human behaviors related to food and eating (Whitney & Rolfes, 2016, p.3). By assessing nutrition, we can hopefully prevent malnutrition and undernutrition (Whitney & Rolfes, 2016, p. 22). Malnutrition is defined as “any condition by excess or deficient food energy,” while undernutrition is a deficiency in energy or nutrients (Whitney & Rolfes, 2016, p.22). Because of this, healthcare professionals create nutrients assessments by using historical information, anthropometric measurements, physical examinations, and laboratory tests (Whitney & Rolfes, 2016, p.22). First, health nutritionist may begin the assessment by obtaining information about a person’s history, such as their diet, drug use, health status and socioeconomic standing (Whitney & Rolfes, 2016, p.22). When I visited my pediatrician four years ago for a routine checkup, he analyzed my nutritional information to discuss any hereditary diseases I have. This is a form of nutritional assessment and it revealed that I should eat more fruits and vegetables to avoid diabetes. Likewise, a person’s health history reflects their medical record and it may reveal diseases that interfere with the person’s ability to eat or their body’s use of nutrients (Whitney & Rolfes, …show more content…

23). The professional will visually inspect the hair, eyes skin, posture, tongue, and fingernails to look for clues of lacking nutrition (Whitney & Rolfes, 2016, p.23). Physical examinations require skill because several physical symptoms reflect more than one nutritional dilemma (Whitney & Rolfes, 2016, p.23). Physical examinations are not meant to be the sole means of confirming conclusions, instead, these examinations may reveal possible imbalances that have to be confirmed by other assessment techniques (Whitney & Rolfes, 2016,

Open Document