Four Components of Nutrition Assessment

An optimal nutritional status greatly influences your health. During a nutritional assessment, a registered dietitian gathers information to estimate your current nutrition status. This includes factors such as age, gender, physical fitness level and any existing diseases. Your dietitian uses the information to make recommendations and evaluate the type of care needed. The assessment consists of four primary components.

Medical History

• Your medical history is integral to the nutritional assessment. The dietitian will ask you about any past and present illnesses. Illnesses commonly lead to nutritional deficits. In addition, treatments for some illnesses can cause deficiencies. Chemotherapy and radiation are two examples. The dietitian will also want to know whether you are currently taking any medications. Many common medications such as oral contraceptives, cholesterol-lowering drugs, anti-anxiety medications and beta-blockers can cause nutritional deficiencies.

Dietary History

• The dietitian will want to make sure you're consuming the right amount of nutrients for optimal health. Thus, your dietary history is a critical component of the nutrition assessment. What you consume is just as important as how much you consume. The quality of the food you consume is another factor in your nutritional status. Regularly consuming low-quality foods can cause nutritional deficits. With the information regarding your diet history, your dietitian will assess your dietary habits and tell you where you may be lacking in nutrients.
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Physical Exam

• The physical exam is designed to evaluate your body's general condition. The condition of your hair, teeth, skin and nails gives clues about your nutritional status. Thinning hair, skin problems, brittle nails and dental issues are all evidence of potential nutritional deficiencies. This part of the nutritional assessment also includes measuring your lean mass and body fat stores.

Body Composition

• An unhealthy body composition puts you at risk for various diseases, including diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Poor diet, overeating and a sedentary lifestyle are the primary factors that lead to an unhealthy body composition. The dietitian will measure your bone mineral density, lean mass and body fat. A healthy body composition consists of a certain ratio of lean mass to body fat. Where you accumulate fat matters as well. Accumulating excess fat around your stomach and waist increases your risk of certain diseases, for example.