ABCN CNP key terms

A nutrient the body needs in large amounts to supply energy and building material, namely carbohydrate, protein, and fat. Alcohol is sometimes counted separately because it also yields energy.

A vitamin or mineral required in small quantities for normal metabolism, growth, and regulation of body processes. Unlike macronutrients, micronutrients do not supply energy directly.

The proportion of a nutrient that is absorbed from food and made available for the body's use. It depends on food form, preparation, and interactions with other substances in the meal.

The movement of digested nutrients from the intestinal lumen across the gut wall into blood or lymph. Most absorption occurs in the small intestine, whose surface is folded to increase area.

The mechanical and chemical breakdown of food into molecules small enough to be absorbed. It begins in the mouth and continues through the stomach and small intestine with enzyme and acid action.

The number of kilocalories supplied per unit weight or volume of a food. Foods high in water and fiber tend to be low in energy density, while high-fat foods tend to be high.

The unit commonly used to express food energy, equal to the heat needed to raise one kilogram of water by one degree Celsius. Nutrition labels often call this unit simply a calorie.

One of the building blocks that make up proteins. Nine are considered indispensable because the body cannot make them in adequate amounts and they must come from food.

A measure of how well a protein supplies the indispensable amino acids in proportions the body can use. Animal proteins generally score higher than most single plant proteins.

Two or more plant foods eaten together whose amino acid patterns offset each other's limits, such as legumes with grains. Combining them yields a protein profile closer to the body's needs.

The difference between nitrogen taken in through protein and nitrogen lost through urine, feces, and sweat. A positive balance indicates net protein gain; a negative balance indicates net loss.

A ranking of carbohydrate-containing foods by how quickly they raise blood glucose compared with a reference food, usually glucose or white bread. Values are measured under standardized conditions.

A value that combines a food's glycemic index with the amount of available carbohydrate in a typical serving, giving a fuller picture of its effect on blood glucose than index alone.

Nondigestible carbohydrates and lignin from plants. Soluble types can slow glucose absorption and bind bile acids, while insoluble types add bulk and speed transit through the gut.

A fatty acid the body cannot synthesize and must obtain from food, specifically linoleic acid and alpha-linolenic acid. They support cell membranes, skin integrity, and inflammatory signaling.

The balance between water intake and water loss in the body. It is assessed through indicators such as urine color, body weight change, thirst, and serum osmolality.

The measurement of body size and proportions, including weight, height, circumferences, and skinfold thickness. These values are compared with reference standards to screen for undernutrition or overnutrition.

A screening ratio of weight in kilograms to the square of height in meters. It estimates weight status by category but does not distinguish fat mass from lean mass.

A systematic process of gathering and interpreting data about a person's food intake, body measurements, laboratory values, medical history, and living situation to identify nutrition problems and their causes.

A clear statement of an identified nutrition problem, its cause, and the evidence supporting it, written in a standardized format. It differs from a medical diagnosis by describing nutrition issues that dietetics practice can address.

A hands-on evaluation of physical signs that may reflect nutrition status, such as muscle wasting, fat loss, edema, hair changes, and nail abnormalities. Findings are interpreted alongside other assessment data.

A dietary assessment method in which a person reports everything eaten and drunk in the previous day. It is quick and low burden but depends on memory and may not represent usual intake.

A dietary assessment tool that asks how often and in what amounts a person consumes a list of foods over a set period. It captures usual patterns but relies on memory and requires careful design.

The purposeful selection and implementation of nutrition care plans and actions intended to address a nutrition diagnosis. Interventions may involve education, counseling, food and nutrient delivery, or coordination of care.

A collaborative process in which the practitioner helps a client set goals and build skills to change eating behavior. It uses communication strategies that respect the client's values and readiness to change.

A client-centered counseling style that explores and strengthens a person's own reasons for change while minimizing confrontation. It uses open questions, reflective listening, and affirmation to build commitment.

A behavior-change model describing readiness as progressing through precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, and maintenance. Interventions are matched to the person's current stage rather than assumed to fit everyone.

Nutrition care provided by a qualified practitioner to treat a disease or condition, using assessment, individualized planning, and follow-up. It is distinct from general nutrition education for healthy populations.

Delivery of nutrients directly into the gastrointestinal tract through a tube, used when oral intake is inadequate but the gut works. Formulas and delivery schedules are chosen to match the patient's needs and tolerance.

Delivery of nutrients intravenously, bypassing the gastrointestinal tract, when the gut cannot be used or cannot absorb enough. It requires close monitoring for infection, metabolic imbalance, and access complications.

The ongoing review of indicators that show whether a nutrition intervention is working and whether goals are being met. Findings guide decisions to continue, adjust, or discontinue the plan.

The written record of assessment data, nutrition diagnoses, interventions, and outcomes in a client's chart or record. Clear, timely documentation supports communication, continuity, and accountability.

A controlled set of agreed terms used to describe nutrition problems, interventions, and outcomes consistently across practitioners and settings. It improves clarity, comparison, and data aggregation in nutrition care records.

The boundaries of what a practitioner is legally and professionally permitted to do, set by law, credentialing, and competence. Practitioners must refer clients elsewhere when needs fall outside those limits.

The level and type of care a reasonably competent practitioner in similar circumstances would provide. It serves as a benchmark in professional practice and in evaluating negligence claims.

A client's voluntary agreement to a proposed service after receiving understandable information about its purpose, risks, benefits, and alternatives. It protects autonomy and must be obtained before care begins.

The professional duty to protect a client's private health and personal information from unauthorized disclosure. It may be limited by law, such as reporting requirements or imminent risk of harm.

A food safety system that identifies hazards at specific points in food production and sets controls to prevent, eliminate, or reduce them. Records and verification confirm that controls are working.

Practices and conditions that prevent food from causing illness or injury, including temperature control, sanitation, and safe handling. It applies from purchasing and storage through preparation and service.

The transfer of harmful microorganisms or allergens from one food, surface, or utensil to another. It is prevented by separating raw and ready-to-eat items, cleaning surfaces, and hand hygiene.

Making care decisions by integrating the best available research evidence, practitioner expertise, and client values and preferences. It requires appraising study quality rather than relying on habit or single studies.

The systematic judgment of a study's validity, results, and relevance to a practice question. It considers design, bias, sample, and whether conclusions follow from the data presented.

A ranking of study designs by their strength for answering clinical questions, typically placing systematic reviews and randomized trials above observational studies and expert opinion. Rankings guide how much confidence to place in findings.