RDN-AP key terms

A structured bedside assessment of muscle mass, subcutaneous fat, fluid status, and micronutrient deficiency signs, interpreted alongside history and intake data to support malnutrition diagnosis and severity staging.

A consensus framework diagnosing malnutrition by requiring at least one phenotypic criterion (weight loss, low BMI, reduced muscle mass) plus one etiologic criterion (reduced intake or inflammation).

A validated clinical tool classifying nutritional status as well nourished, moderately, or severely malnourished using weight history, dietary intake, gastrointestinal symptoms, functional capacity, and physical findings.

A self-completed adaptation of SGA designed for oncology patients, adding symptom and intake items and producing a numeric score that triages need for nutrition intervention.

Measurement of oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide production to derive resting energy expenditure and respiratory quotient, serving as the reference standard for individualized energy prescription in critically ill patients.

The energy required for maintenance of body functions at rest, estimated by predictive equations or measured by indirect calorimetry to set energy targets in nutrition support.

A potentially fatal shift of electrolytes, especially phosphate, potassium, and magnesium, after reintroduction of nutrition in a malnourished patient, requiring cautious caloric advancement and electrolyte monitoring.

Deliberate provision of calories below measured or estimated requirements during the acute phase of critical illness to avoid overfeeding complications while meeting protein needs.

Provision of energy exceeding requirements, causing hyperglycemia, hepatic steatosis, increased carbon dioxide production, and prolonged ventilation, often from combining enteral nutrition with propofol or dextrose infusions.

Delivery of enteral formula into the duodenum or jejunum, used when gastric emptying is impaired or aspiration risk is high, and requiring careful tube placement verification.

The volume of formula remaining in the stomach at a check, used selectively to screen for feeding intolerance; high thresholds and holding feedings only for clear intolerance are now recommended.

Intravenous delivery of macronutrients, electrolytes, vitamins, and trace elements for patients whose gastrointestinal tract cannot be used adequately, requiring sterile compounding and metabolic monitoring.

Infusion of parenteral nutrition over a portion of the day, commonly overnight, to improve mobility and allow daytime independence, and used in stable home parenteral nutrition patients.

Progressive cholestatic liver injury in patients with prolonged intestinal failure, driven by lack of enteral stimulation, parenteral nutrition composition, and recurrent sepsis; managed by advancing enteral feeds and cycling or reducing parenteral nutrition.

Malabsorptive state after extensive intestinal resection, managed with staged enteral advancement, fluid and electrolyte replacement, and medications to slow transit and reduce secretion.

Enteral products with modified carbohydrate content and higher monounsaturated fat designed to blunt glycemic excursions, though glucose control still depends on monitoring and insulin adjustment.

Fluctuation of blood glucose over time, increasingly recognized as an independent contributor to outcomes in critically ill and hospitalized patients, assessed alongside mean glucose.

Coexistence of two or more chronic conditions in one person, complicating nutrition recommendations because therapies for one disease may conflict with another and require prioritized, individualized goals.

A systemic disorder of mineral metabolism in chronic kidney disease involving phosphate, calcium, parathyroid hormone, and vitamin D, managed partly through dietary phosphorus restriction and phosphate binders.

Loss of protein and energy stores in chronic kidney disease driven by reduced intake, inflammation, and dialysis losses, requiring adequate protein intake and monitoring of nutritional status.

Nutrition care for peritoneal dialysis patients, accounting for glucose absorption from dialysate, higher protein losses, and fluid and electrolyte restrictions.

Neuropsychiatric complication of liver disease linked to ammonia and precipitating factors; nutrition management avoids unnecessary protein restriction while ensuring adequate intake and treating constipation.

Loss of skeletal muscle mass and function common in cirrhosis, worsened by hypermetabolism and early satiety, and addressed with adequate protein, frequent meals, and late-evening snacks.

A carbohydrate- and protein-containing bedtime feeding in cirrhosis that shortens the overnight fasting period and reduces catabolism, recommended in guidelines for patients with inadequate intake.

A multifactorial syndrome of ongoing skeletal muscle loss with or without fat loss that cannot be fully reversed by conventional nutrition support, requiring early multimodal intervention.

Symptoms such as mucositis, dysgeusia, early satiety, nausea, and dysphagia caused by cancer or its treatment that impair intake and require targeted management before or alongside nutrition support.

Dietary and supportive strategies during oral or gastrointestinal mucositis, including texture modification, avoidance of irritants, oral care, and use of nutrition support when intake is inadequate.

A historically used food-safety regimen restricting certain foods for neutropenic patients; current evidence does not support it over standard safe food handling practices.

Management of intake and absorption problems after hematopoietic cell transplant when donor cells attack host tissue, often affecting gut, skin, and liver and requiring nutrition support titration.

Protocol-driven perioperative care emphasizing avoidance of prolonged fasting, early oral intake, carbohydrate loading where appropriate, and early return to normal eating after surgery.

Preoperative optimization of nutritional status, including screening, correction of deficits, and exercise or protein interventions, to improve tolerance of surgery and recovery.

Addition of protein, energy, minerals, and vitamins to human milk for preterm infants to meet growth needs that unfortified milk cannot support.

Small-volume enteral feedings in preterm infants that stimulate gut maturation and hormone release while total parenteral nutrition meets nutrient needs.

Growth falling below expected intrauterine trajectories after preterm birth, monitored with growth curves and addressed by optimizing nutrient delivery and fortification.

Feeding strategies around necrotizing enterocolitis, including cautious advancement, human milk preference, and individualized reintroduction after medical or surgical treatment.

Nutrition care for infants with chronic lung disease of prematurity, balancing higher energy needs, fluid restriction, and adequate protein and mineral intake for lung growth and bone health.

Ranking of study designs by susceptibility to bias, from systematic reviews and randomized trials down to expert opinion, guiding how strongly a recommendation is made.

A structured system for rating certainty of evidence and strength of recommendations, considering risk of bias, inconsistency, indirectness, imprecision, and publication bias.

Systematic evaluation of a study's validity, results, and applicability to a patient population, used to decide whether findings should change practice.

An iterative Plan-Do-Study-Act method for testing small practice changes, measuring results, and refining interventions before broader implementation in nutrition care settings.

Use of standardized registry data to compare nutrition care processes and outcomes against peers, identifying gaps and tracking improvement over time.

The range of duties a clinician is legally and professionally authorized to perform, which varies by state, credential, and setting and shapes delegation and supervision decisions.

Professional expectations for competence, ethics, communication, and quality practice that complement standards of care and guide accountability in dietetics practice.

Obtaining a patient's voluntary agreement to a nutrition intervention after explaining purpose, benefits, risks, and alternatives, respecting autonomy and decision-making capacity.

Fair distribution of limited nutrition services, products, or funding when demand exceeds supply, guided by transparency, consistency, and patient need rather than convenience.

Planned reduction or discontinuation of medications or nutrition supplements no longer providing benefit, reducing pill burden and interactions in multimorbid older adults.

Collaborative process of defining outcomes that matter to the patient, such as function or quality of life, and aligning nutrition interventions with those priorities.

Dietary and medical strategies to control serum potassium in kidney disease, including limiting high-potassium foods and using binders, while preserving overall diet quality.

A serious complication of central venous access used for parenteral nutrition, prevented through aseptic technique, dedicated lumens, and prompt removal of unnecessary lines.

Proactive administration of vitamin B1 before or during refeeding in at-risk patients to prevent Wernicke encephalopathy and related complications.

Clinical judgment that a patient is absorbing and handling tube feedings, assessed by symptoms, output, and abdominal examination rather than routine residual checks alone.

Overlap of undernutrition and chronic inflammatory disease in which inflammation drives muscle catabolism and appetite loss, limiting response to nutrition support alone.

Likelihood of oropharyngeal or gastric contents entering the airway, influenced by consciousness, positioning, tube location, and swallowing function, and guiding feeding route decisions.