Medical expert of the article
New publications
Nutrition in clinical medicine
Last reviewed: 08.07.2025
All iLive content is medically reviewed or fact checked to ensure as much factual accuracy as possible.
We have strict sourcing guidelines and only link to reputable media sites, academic research institutions and, whenever possible, medically peer reviewed studies. Note that the numbers in parentheses ([1], [2], etc.) are clickable links to these studies.
If you feel that any of our content is inaccurate, out-of-date, or otherwise questionable, please select it and press Ctrl + Enter.
Nutrient deficiencies can cause poor health (with or without underlying disease), and some pathological conditions (e.g., malabsorption) can cause nutrient deficiencies. In addition, many patients (e.g., elderly patients in emergency hospitals) are unaware of the nutrient deficiencies that require treatment. Many health centers have teams of trained professionals—physicians, nurses, dietitians, and pharmacists—to assist clinicians in preventing, diagnosing, and treating hidden nutrient deficiencies.
Excessive food consumption can lead to chronic diseases such as cancer, hypertension, obesity, diabetes, and coronary artery disease. Dietary restrictions are necessary in many inherited metabolic diseases (e.g., galactosemia, phenylketonuria).
[ Nutritional assessment
Indications for nutritional assessment include undesirable body weight or shape, suspected specific deficiencies or toxicities of essential nutrients, and, in infants and children, growth or developmental delays. However, nutritional assessment should be part of the clinical evaluation of infants and children, the elderly, individuals taking multiple medications, individuals with psychiatric disorders, and patients with systemic illnesses lasting more than a few days.
Number of daily servings required
Food group |
Calorie level (kcal) |
||
Around 1600 |
Around 2200 |
About 2800 |
|
Bread |
6 |
9 |
11 |
Fruits |
2 |
3 |
4 |
Milk |
2-3 |
||
Meat |
2 (total, 5 oz) |
2 (total, 6 oz) |
3 (total, 7 oz) |
Vegetables |
3 |
4 |
5 |
Pregnant and breastfeeding women, adolescents and young adults (up to 24 years) need 3 servings.
The general nutritional assessment includes history, physical examination, and sometimes some tests. If malnutrition is suspected, laboratory tests and skin turgor testing are performed. Body shape assessment is used to assess the degree and quality of obesity.
The history includes a questioning of food intake, weight changes, risk factors for nutritional deficiencies, and a general examination of the organs and systems. A dietitian can obtain more detailed information on the dietary history. The history usually includes a list of foods eaten in the last 24 hours and a patient questionnaire about the foods consumed. A special diary can be used to record all foods eaten. The most accurate report for assessing the diet is a weighed free diet, in which the patient records weight and all foods consumed.
A complete physical examination should be performed, which includes determination of height, weight, and fat distribution.
Body mass index (BMI) - weight (kg) / height (m) 2 determines the relationship between weight and height more accurately than height and weight tables. There are certain standards for increasing the height and weight of infants, children and adolescents.
It is important to consider the distribution of adipose tissue in the body. Disproportionate trunk obesity (i.e. waist/hip ratio > 0.8) is associated with cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disorders, hypertension and diabetes mellitus more often than fat deposits located elsewhere in the body. There are certain methods for assessing the distribution of adipose tissue in the body: skinfold thickness and determination of bioelectrical impedance.