Making a nutritional assessment.
The assessment of nutritional deficiencies depends on both clinical and laboratory diagnosis. The standard physical examination should be supplemented by nutritional anthropometry, consisting of accurate growth and skinfold measurements. A careful dietary history, preferably taken by a dietitian, is necessary to construct a record of past nutrient intake. Since biochemical abnormalities often appear before clinical signs of nutritional deficiency a battery of biochemical tests is sometimes needed. In unusual cases newer techniques of assessing body composition or immunologic or physiologic function may be required. In all cases the patient's physical state, nutritional intake and biochemical status must be related to age and sex standards.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000886:Anthropometry; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003677:Deficiency Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008487:Medical History Taking; D009747:Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D010808:Physical Examination; D012885:Skinfold Thickness