Introduction
There are several methods to assess nutritional status, including dietary, laboratory, and anthropometric and clinical methods. These methods are useful to identify each stage in the development of a nutritional deficiency state. Anthropometry is the “single most universally applicable, inexpensive, and non-invasive method available to assess the size, proportions, and composition of the human body” . Anthropometric measurements are able to detect chronic imbalance of protein and energy, such as malnutrition, but are unable to pinpoint a specific nutritional deficiency. These measurements would need to be assessed appropriately according to factors such as age, sex and degree of nutrition. Furthermore, measurements are easily, quickly and reliably performed using portable equipment, with results often expressed as an index (Gibson, 2005).
Anthropometry is also able to reflect the overall health and welfare of individuals and populations and predict performance, health and survival. This is because the anthropometric measurements of body mass and composition can be illustrate inadequate or adequate food intake, insufficient exercise and disease . Therefore, this method can be used to monitor health and nutrition, but also implement interventions for individuals and the population where necessary.
Anthropometric values should be compared against an accepted set of reference values, which are essential during nutritional assessment. This is because any inferences that involve the individual or population nutritional status are dependent on the reference for comparison (Frisancho, 1990). These values imply a desirable target level that should be met, and which judgments can be made when values deviate from them. Fo...
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..., 2014. 4338.0 - Profiles of Health, Australia, 2011-13. [online] Available at: http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Lookup/4338.0main+features222011-13
ABS, 2014. 4841.0 - Facts at your Fingertips: Health, 2011. [online] Available at: http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Lookup/4841.0Chapter22011Appendices
Figure 1: Height of students as determined by anthropometric methods
Figure 2: Weight of students as determined by anthropometric measures
Figure 3: Body Mass Index of students as determined by anthropometric methods
Figure 4: Mid Arm Muscle Circumference of students as determined by anthropometric measures
Figure 5: Triceps skinfold thickness of students as determined by anthropometric measures
Figure 6: Waist-to-hip ratio of students as determined by anthropometric measures
Mayo Clinic Staff. "Caregivers." Senior Health: How to Prevent and Detect Malnutrition. N.p., 23 Sept. 2011. Web. 28 Mar. 2014.
Obesity is a health problem which is growing very rapidly all over the world. Current health articles such as this one, are emphasizing the importance of diet and exercise, to keep a healthy body weight, and to avoid obesity and its consequences at all costs. It is extremely important to make sure one is maintaining a good body weight in order to avoid other complications later on in life.
National Institute of Clinical Health and Excellence. (2006) Obesity: The prevention, identification, assessment and management of overweight and obesity in adults and children [online]. Available from: http://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/CG43 [Accessed on 19/03/2011].
Obesity has affected the world in many ways: task forces have been formed to address the issue, people are suffering from health problems due to obesity, and others suffer from psychological and social issues. Nearly two-thirds of the United States population is overweight. There are several ways to determine if a person is obese or overweight. Experts say that a person’s body mass index is the best way to determine an adult’s weight in relation to their height. A BMI of 18.5 to 24.9 kg/m2 is considered normal, adults with a BMI of 25 to 29.9 kg/m2 are considered overweight.
Moreover, though the tool is more practical and frequently used dietary assessment for assessing individual diets in large cohorts (easy to administer...
Whitney, E., Debruyne, L. K., Pinna, K., & Rolfes, S. R. (2011). Nutrition for health and health
This assignment will discuss a trust adapted version of the Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST). It will demonstrate an understanding of theoretical knowledge used to develop the assessment tool. The assignment will focus on three components within the tool; discussing the reliability and validity when used in a clinical environment. A reflection of my own experience using the tool will be included and linked to aspects of reliability. Any issues with reliability will be identified and suggestions given on how they can be corrected to aid future use.
Since 1916, the United States Department of Agriculture (the government agency responsible for all U.S. policy regarding agriculture, food, and farming) has revised their recommendations several times. Unfortunately, money talks and the USDA’s recommendations are based on outdated science and are influenced by people with business interest. Even so, its recommendations are considered almost “holy” by physicians, nutritionists, and dieters, but in reality, they are the root cause of the problem. A single visit to our local public school cafeteria and it will become clear that they do not have the best interests of the children at heart. What they are feeding our innocent children is preposterous. Doctors, the people we trust and expect to be “the experts”, do not know much about the subject of nutrition. A vast majority of medical schools in the U.S. require just 25-30 hours or less of nutrition training, and some do not require at all. So doctors must rely on the ...
These last two years, however, I started to gain weight and have become concerned with my diet. Changing my poor eating habits has been difficult for me, however, having this assignment has taught me that it is not as difficult as I previously imagined. Nutrition experts in the United States and Canada have a list of standards with four list values. These list values are called the Dietary Reference Intakes. The DRI committee sets these values for vitamins, minerals, calories, and nutrients.
Ultimately, these physiological changes result in different nutritional needs for the elderly. The Food and Nutrition Board of the National Academy of Sciences issues the Recommended Daily Allowances for healthy people over the age of 51. However, these RDAs are limited in that they have been derived from studies of younger, healthy populations and do not account ...
Generally, due to differences in food supply and dietary habits, there is no universally accepted FFQ that can be used for all populations in all situations. Elucidation of diet–disease relationships requires dietary assessment methods which can sufficiently describe and quantify intakes, minimize errors and provide precise estimates of variability between individuals or groups (Kaaks R et. al, 1997; Carroll RJ e t.al 1997 and Lin L et.al, 2013). Therefore, it is vital to make sure that any FFQ must be reliable and valid to be used in the population of interest, need to be designed to meet the aims of study populations and has contain an up-to-date list of foods (Jyh Eiin Wong, et. al, 2012).
Methods commonly used to calculate body weight goals involve ideal body weight (IBW) and being in the “normal” range for BMI. If IBW was used to calculate a weight goal for Mr. McKinley, then his weight goal would be 166 lbs. If BMI was used, this would require Mr. McKinley to lose over 230 lbs. However, both of these methods are highly unreasonable, given Mr. McKinley’s current body weight, BMI, UBW, and considering that he has weighed over 250 lbs. for over 20 years now. Therefore, both of these methods are unacceptable for determining an appropriate weight goal for Mr. McKinley. A 5-10% loss in body weight in obese persons is likely to improve blood glucose, blood pressure and cholesterol levels.1 Since Mr. McKinley has already lost a little
Nutrition assessments include clinical and dietary assessment, anthropometrics, as well as biochemical, laboratory immunologic and functional indices of nutritional status (Gibney, 2005). In epidemiological studies, different dietary investigation tools were designed to assess the nutritional status in individuals and populations, nutrition monitoring and surveillance and diet-disease research (Friedenreich, et al., 1992, Taren, 2002).
Rationale: These laboratory test results have been shown to be fair indicators of malnutrition. Ackley and Ladwig p. 576
There are different ways to determine your body composition and the risks that they involve. In this lab, body measurements are taken to find the body percent fat, waist-to-hip ratio, body mass index (BMI), and basal metabolic rate (BMR). Skin folds for the chest, abdomen, and thigh were taken for males, and triceps, iliac crest, and thigh for females. Age, height, and weight for each person were recorded as well as the waist and hip circumference.