Nutritional Status: An Overview of Methods for Assessment

This chapter focuses on the whole area of nutritional assessment and explores the wide spectrum of testing available that can aid in determining the health of an individual. This process typically includes in-depth evaluation of both subjective data and objective evaluations of an individual’s food and nutrient intake, components of lifestyle, and medical history. A nutritional assessment provides an overview of nutritional status; it focuses on nutrient intake analysis of the diet, which is then compared with blood tests and physical examination.

With comprehensive data on diet and biological information, the physician can make an accurate estimate of that person’s nutritional status. Decisions can then be made on an appropriate plan of action to either maintain current health status or referral to counseling or other interventions that may enable the individual to reach a more healthy state. Only with sufficient anthropometric, biochemical, clinical, and dietary information can a plan be drafted.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Subscribe and save

• Get 10 units per month
• Download Article/Chapter or eBook
• 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
• Cancel anytime

Buy Now

eBook EUR 93.08 Price includes VAT (France)

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Similar content being viewed by others

Nutritional Status: An Overview of Methods for Assessment

The Nutrition Assessment of Metabolic and Nutritional Balance

Nutritional Status Evaluation: Body Composition and Energy Balance

References

1. Ogden CL, Carroll MD, Kit BK, Flegal KM. Prevalence of childhood and adult obesity in the United States, 2011–2012. JAMA. 2014;311:806–14. ArticleCASPubMedPubMed CentralGoogle Scholar
2. Ogden CL, Carroll MD, Fryar CD, Flegal KM. Prevalence of obesity among adults and youth: United States, 2011–2014. NCHS Data Brief. 2015;(219):1–8. Google Scholar
3. Flegal KM, Panagiotou OA, Graubard BI. Estimating population attributable fractions to quantify the health burden of obesity. Ann Epidemiol. 2015;25:201–7. ArticlePubMedGoogle Scholar
4. Blanton CA, Moshfegh AJ, Baer DJ, Kretsch MJ. The USDA automated multiple-pass method accurately estimates group total energy and nutrient intake. J Nutr. 2006;136:2594–9. CASPubMedGoogle Scholar
5. Ahluwalia N, Dwyer J, Terry A, Moshfegh A, Johnson C. Update on NHANES dietary data: focus on collection, release, analytical considerations, and uses to inform public policy. Adv Nutr. 2016;7:121–34. ArticlePubMedPubMed CentralGoogle Scholar
6. Bray GA. Review of: good calories, bad calories by Gary Taubes. New York: AA Knopf; 2007. Obes Rev. 2008;9:251–63. ArticleGoogle Scholar
7. Archer E, Hand GA, Blair SN. Validity of U.S. nutritional surveillance: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey caloric energy intake data, 1971–2010. PLoS One. 2013;8:e76632. ArticleCASPubMedPubMed CentralGoogle Scholar
8. Tooze JA, Vitolins MZ, Smith SL, et al. High levels of low energy reporting on 24-hour recalls and three questionnaires in an elderly low-socioeconomic status population. J Nutr. 2007;137:1286–93. CASPubMedGoogle Scholar
9. Shaneshin M, Jessri M, Rashidkhani B. Validity of energy intake reports in relation to dietary patterns. J Health Popul Nutr. 2014;32:36–45. PubMedPubMed CentralGoogle Scholar
10. Scagliusi FB, Ferriolli E, Lancha Jr AH. Underreporting of energy intake in developing nations. Nutr Rev. 2006;64(7 Pt 1):319–30. ArticlePubMedGoogle Scholar
11. Balkau B, Deanfield JE, Despres JP, et al. International Day for the Evaluation of Abdominal Obesity (IDEA): a study of waist circumference, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes mellitus in 168,000 primary care patients in 63 countries. Circulation. 2007;116:1942–51. ArticlePubMedPubMed CentralGoogle Scholar
12. Bray GA. Contemporary diagnosis and management of obesity. 3rd ed. Newtown: Handbooks in Health Care Co; 2003. Google Scholar
13. Rothney MP, Brychta RJ, Schaefer EV, Chen KY, Skarulis MC. Body composition measured by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry half-body scans in obese adults. Obesity. 2009;17:1281–6. PubMedPubMed CentralGoogle Scholar
14. Lazzer S, Bedogni G, Agosti F, De Col A, Mornati D, Sartorio A. Comparison of dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry, air displacement plethysmography and bioelectrical impedance analysis for the assessment of body composition in severely obese Caucasian children and adolescents. Br J Nutr. 2008;18:1–7. Google Scholar
15. Shypailo RJ, Butte NF, Ellis KJ. DXA: can it be used as a criterion reference for body fat measurements in children? Obesity (Silver Spring). 2008;16:457–62. ArticleGoogle Scholar
16. Nichols J, Going S, Loftin M, Stewart D, Nowicki E, Pickrel J. Comparison of two bioelectrical impedance analysis instruments for determining body composition in adolescent girls. Int J Body Compos Res. 2006;4:153–60. CASPubMedPubMed CentralGoogle Scholar
17. Volgyi E, Tylavsky FA, Lyytikainen A, Suominen H, Alen M, Cheng S. Assessing body composition with DXA and bioimpedance: effects of obesity, physical activity, and age. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2008;16:700–5. ArticleGoogle Scholar
18. Chen Z, Wang Z, Lohman T, et al. Dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry is a valid tool for assessing skeletal muscle mass in older women. J Nutr. 2007;137:2775–80. CASPubMedGoogle Scholar
19. Neovius M, Hemmingsson E, Freyschuss B, Udden J. Bioelectrical impedance underestimates total and truncal fatness in abdominally obese women. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2006;14:1731–8. ArticleGoogle Scholar
20. Drewnowski A. Obesity and the food environment. Dietary energy density and diet costs. Am J Prev Med. 2004;27(3S):154–62. ArticlePubMedGoogle Scholar
21. Kant AK, Graubard BI. Energy density of diets reported by American adults: association with food group intake, nutrient intake, and body weight. Int J Obes. 2005;29:950–6. ArticleCASGoogle Scholar
22. Champagne CM, Casey PH, Connell CL, Lower Mississippi Delta Nutrition Intervention Research Initiative, et al. Poverty and food intake in rural America: diet quality is lower in food insecure adults in the Mississippi Delta. J Am Diet Assoc. 2007;107:1886–94. Google Scholar
23. Stuff JE, Casey PH, Connell CL, et al. Household food insecurity and obesity, chronic disease, and chronic disease risk factors. J Hunger Environ Nutr. 2006;1:43–62. ArticleGoogle Scholar
24. Hoy KM, Goldman JD. Fiber intake of the U.S. population: what we eat in America, NHANES 2009–2010. Food Surveys Research Group, Dietary Data Brief No. 12; 2014. Google Scholar
25. Guenther PM, Casavale KO, Reedy J, et al. Healthy Eating Index 2010. Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion. CNPP Fact Sheet No. 2. 2013. http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/sites/default/files/healthy_eating_index/CNPPFactSheetNo2.pdf. Accessed 22 Mar 2016.

Suggested Further Reading

• Bray GA, Bouchard C. Handbook of obesity. Clinical applications. 4th ed. Boca Raton: CRC Press; 2014. BookGoogle Scholar
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Laboratory methods. http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhanes/nhanes2011-2012/lab_methods_11_12.htm.
• Food and Nutrition Board, Institute of Medicine—FNB. http://www.healthfinder.gov/orgs/HR0139.htm.
• Mahan LK, Raymond JL, Escott-Stump S, editors. Krause’s food & the nutrition care process. 13th ed. Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders; 2011. Google Scholar
• Schlenker E, Gilbert JA. Williams’ essentials of nutrition & diet therapy. 11th ed. Maryland Heights: Mosby; 2014. Google Scholar
• USDA, National Agricultural Library, Food and Nutrition Information Center. https://fnic.nal.usda.gov/.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

1. Department of Nutritional Epidemiology, Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Louisiana State University, 6400 Perkins Road, Baton Rouge, LA, 70808, USA Catherine M. Champagne PhD (RDN, LDN, FADA, FAND, FTOS)
2. Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, USA George A. Bray M.D.

1. Catherine M. Champagne PhD (RDN, LDN, FADA, FAND, FTOS)