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Question 1Nutrition Assessment

A hospitalized adult's mid-upper arm circumference is measured at the midpoint between the acromion and olecranon with the arm relaxed. Which interpretation best fits a value of 22 cm in a non-edematous adult?

  1. Indicative of arm edema rather than lean tissue depletion
  2. Within the normal reference range for adults
  3. Suggestive of obesity requiring weight-reduction counseling
  4. Consistent with protein-energy malnutrition and warranting further assessment Correct answer.

Explanation

Adult MUAC reference cutoffs commonly treat values below roughly 23–24 cm as indicating undernutrition risk, so 22 cm falls in the depleted range. It should be interpreted alongside weight history, intake, and functional status rather than used alone.

Question 2Nutrition Assessment

Which laboratory marker is most useful for assessing iron stores in a patient with acute inflammation?

  1. Serum iron
  2. Total iron-binding capacity
  3. Transferrin saturation
  4. Serum ferritin Correct answer.

Explanation

Ferritin reflects body iron stores and is the standard store marker, though it rises as an acute-phase reactant during inflammation. Serum iron, TIBC, and transferrin saturation fluctuate with diurnal rhythm and inflammation and do not measure stores directly.

Question 3Nutrition Assessment

During a nutrition-focused physical exam, a patient shows loss of subcutaneous fat over the triceps and ribs along with visible muscle wasting at the temples. Which conclusion is most appropriate?

  1. Findings support a diagnosis of malnutrition when combined with intake and weight data Correct answer.
  2. Findings are normal age-related changes and require no documentation
  3. Findings alone confirm marasmus without further data
  4. Findings indicate dehydration rather than nutrient deficit

Explanation

NFPE findings of fat and muscle loss are diagnostic criteria elements but must be paired with intake, weight loss, and inflammation data per standardized malnutrition criteria. Physical signs support, rather than independently establish, the diagnosis.

Question 4Nutrition Assessment

A 70-year-old outpatient reports unintentional weight loss. Which method most reliably quantifies the percentage of body weight lost over the past 6 months?

  1. Asking the patient to estimate how much weight was lost
  2. Using a single current body mass index value
  3. Comparing current measured weight with a documented weight from 6 months ago Correct answer.
  4. Relying on the patient's clothing fit changes

Explanation

Percentage weight loss requires a documented prior weight compared with a current measured weight. Patient estimates and clothing fit are subjective, and a single BMI cannot show change over time.

Question 5Nutrition Assessment

A patient's 24-hour urine urea nitrogen is 10 g, and the clinician is estimating nitrogen balance. Which additional value is essential to complete the calculation?

  1. Body mass index
  2. Total nitrogen intake from protein Correct answer.
  3. Serum creatinine clearance
  4. Serum albumin concentration

Explanation

Nitrogen balance compares nitrogen intake with nitrogen excretion, so protein intake converted to nitrogen is required alongside urinary and insensible losses. Albumin, BMI, and creatinine clearance do not enter the balance equation.

Question 6Nutrition Assessment

Which anthropometric measurement is most appropriate for estimating stature in a patient who cannot stand due to contractures?

  1. Sitting height
  2. Recumbent length
  3. Knee height Correct answer.
  4. Arm span

Explanation

Knee height is validated for estimating stature in non-ambulatory patients using equations that incorporate age, sex, and race. Recumbent length requires the patient to lie flat, and sitting height and arm span depend on positioning that contractures may prevent.

Question 7Nutrition Assessment

A patient's body mass index is 31 kg/m². Using standard adult World Health Organization categories, how is this classified?

  1. Overweight
  2. Obese class I Correct answer.
  3. Normal weight
  4. Obese class II

Explanation

WHO adult categories define overweight as BMI 25.0–29.9 and obesity class I as 30.0–34.9 kg/m². A BMI of 31 therefore falls in obese class I.

Question 8Nutrition Assessment

In a nutrition assessment, which component is considered a domain of the standardized nutrition assessment rather than a screening parameter?

  1. Blood pressure reading
  2. Food and nutrient intake history Correct answer.
  3. Hemoglobin value
  4. Weight-for-height percentile

Explanation

Standardized nutrition assessment domains include food and nutrient intake, anthropometrics, biochemical data, nutrition-focused physical findings, and client history. Intake history is a core assessment domain, whereas isolated values such as hemoglobin or blood pressure are data points interpreted within those domains.

Question 9Nutrition Assessment

A 55-year-old with chronic kidney disease has a serum albumin of 3.0 g/dL. Which interpretation is most accurate?

  1. Albumin is a negative acute-phase reactant and may reflect inflammation rather than protein status alone Correct answer.
  2. Albumin is the preferred marker of short-term dietary protein intake
  3. A low albumin indicates inadequate dietary protein intake directly
  4. A low albumin confirms protein-energy malnutrition definitively

Explanation

Albumin synthesis is suppressed during inflammation and its long half-life makes it insensitive to short-term intake changes. A low value should prompt evaluation of inflammation and other causes rather than being read as a direct measure of protein intake.

Question 10Nutrition Assessment

Which tool is designed specifically to screen hospitalized adults for malnutrition risk within 24–48 hours of admission?

  1. Subjective Global Assessment (SGA)
  2. Nutrition Risk Screening 2002 (NRS-2002) Correct answer.
  3. Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA)
  4. Food frequency questionnaire

Explanation

NRS-2002 was developed for hospital inpatients and combines nutritional status with disease severity to identify risk. MNA targets older adults in community and institutional settings, SGA is a full assessment, and a food frequency questionnaire measures intake patterns only.

Question 11Nutrition Assessment

A patient reports consuming a 3-day diet record. Which limitation most affects the validity of this method?

  1. Underreporting of intake, especially of snacks and energy-dense foods Correct answer.
  2. Complete reliance on memory over long periods
  3. Inability to estimate portion sizes at all
  4. Excessive burden on the clinician rather than the patient

Explanation

Diet records depend on the patient recording accurately, and underreporting of energy-dense foods and snacks is a well-documented bias. Portion estimation is possible with training, and records are prospective, reducing long-term recall error.

Question 12Nutrition Assessment

A patient's triceps skinfold is measured three times with readings of 12, 13, and 18 mm. What is the most appropriate next step?

  1. Record the highest value as the result
  2. Discard all readings and use bioelectrical impedance instead
  3. Average all three readings including the outlier
  4. Repeat the measurement and use the median of acceptable readings Correct answer.

Explanation

An outlying value suggests a technique or site error, so the measurement should be repeated and the median of valid readings recorded. Averaging in an erroneous value or selecting the highest would bias the result.

Question 13Nutrition Assessment

Which biochemical change is most characteristic of refeeding syndrome risk during nutrition assessment?

  1. Hypophosphatemia after reintroduction of calories Correct answer.
  2. Hypernatremia after fluid restriction
  3. Hypercalcemia after vitamin D loading
  4. Hyperkalemia after potassium supplementation

Explanation

Refeeding syndrome is marked by shifts of phosphate, potassium, and magnesium into cells after carbohydrate reintroduction, with hypophosphatemia being the hallmark. Electrolytes should be monitored before and during refeeding in at-risk patients.

Question 14Nutrition Assessment

A 30-year-old woman has a body mass index of 17.0 kg/m² and reports a 12% weight loss over 3 months with reduced intake. Which classification best fits standardized adult malnutrition criteria?

  1. Severe malnutrition
  2. No malnutrition
  3. Overweight
  4. Moderate malnutrition Correct answer.

Explanation

Standardized criteria classify weight loss of 10–15% over 3 months as moderate malnutrition when accompanied by reduced intake. Severe malnutrition requires greater loss or more profound deficits, and a BMI of 17 does not itself indicate overweight.

Question 15Nutrition Assessment

Which measure best estimates visceral protein status over a shorter interval than albumin?

  1. C-reactive protein
  2. Hemoglobin
  3. Serum glucose
  4. Prealbumin (transthyretin) Correct answer.

Explanation

Prealbumin has a shorter half-life than albumin and responds more quickly to changes, though it is also affected by inflammation. Hemoglobin, glucose, and CRP do not reflect visceral protein status.

Question 16Nutrition Assessment

A clinician needs to estimate body composition in a patient with a pacemaker. Which method is contraindicated?

  1. Air displacement plethysmography
  2. Waist circumference measurement
  3. Skinfold calipers
  4. Bioelectrical impedance analysis Correct answer.

Explanation

Bioelectrical impedance passes a small current through the body, so implanted electronic devices such as pacemakers are a contraindication. Plethysmography, calipers, and circumference measures do not involve electrical current.

Question 17Nutrition Assessment

Which waist circumference threshold indicates substantially increased cardiometabolic risk in adult men according to commonly used clinical guidance?

  1. 120 cm (47 in)
  2. 60 cm (24 in)
  3. 80 cm (31 in)
  4. 102 cm (40 in) Correct answer.

Explanation

Commonly cited thresholds identify increased risk in men at 94 cm and substantially increased risk at 102 cm. The 80 cm figure is closer to the women's increased-risk threshold.

Question 18Nutrition Assessment

A patient with ascites is being assessed for malnutrition. Which weight-based approach is most appropriate?

  1. Rely on serum albumin alone
  2. Use current measured weight without adjustment
  3. Use dry weight or estimated weight corrected for ascites when interpreting BMI and weight change Correct answer.
  4. Use weight gain as evidence of improved nutrition

Explanation

Ascites inflates measured weight, so dry weight or adjustments are needed to interpret BMI and weight trends accurately. Unadjusted weight obscures true nutritional change, and albumin is confounded by inflammation and liver disease.

Question 19Nutrition Assessment

Which dietary assessment method is most appropriate for estimating usual intake in a large epidemiologic survey?

  1. Duplicated diet collection
  2. 24-hour recall on a single day
  3. Direct observation of one meal
  4. Food frequency questionnaire Correct answer.

Explanation

A food frequency questionnaire captures habitual intake over an extended period and is practical for large populations. A single 24-hour recall or one observed meal captures only one day, and duplicate diets are labor-intensive and unsuitable for surveys.

Question 20Nutrition Assessment

Which finding on nutrition-focused physical exam most suggests dehydration rather than malnutrition?

  1. Decreased subcutaneous fat over the triceps
  2. Loss of temporal muscle mass
  3. Sparse hair with easy pluckability
  4. Dry mucous membranes with poor skin turgor Correct answer.

Explanation

Dry mucous membranes and reduced skin turgor are classic signs of fluid deficit. Temporal wasting, fat loss, and hair changes are associated with protein-energy malnutrition rather than dehydration.

Question 21Nutrition Assessment

A patient's energy needs are being estimated using indirect calorimetry. Which condition most limits the validity of the measurement?

  1. Measurement taken while the patient is awake
  2. Recent measurement of height
  3. Air leak around the mouthpiece or mask Correct answer.
  4. Use of a nasal cannula for oxygen

Explanation

Indirect calorimetry depends on a sealed system to measure oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide production, so leaks invalidate results. Height, oxygen delivery route, and wakefulness do not inherently invalidate the measurement.

Question 22Nutrition Assessment

Which parameter is included in the Mini Nutritional Assessment to identify risk in older adults?

  1. Triceps skinfold percentile
  2. Serum prealbumin concentration
  3. Decline in food intake over the past 3 months Correct answer.
  4. 24-hour urine creatinine

Explanation

The MNA includes questions on appetite and food intake decline, weight loss, mobility, and psychological stress. It does not rely on prealbumin, urine creatinine, or skinfold percentiles.

Question 23Nutrition Assessment

A patient's measured resting energy expenditure is 1,400 kcal/day and total energy expenditure is estimated at 1,800 kcal/day. If intake is 1,500 kcal/day, what is the expected short-term effect?

  1. Increased lean mass due to positive nitrogen balance
  2. Rapid weight gain due to excess intake
  3. No change because intake exceeds resting expenditure
  4. Gradual weight loss due to an energy deficit Correct answer.

Explanation

Total expenditure of 1,800 kcal exceeds intake of 1,500 kcal, creating a deficit of about 300 kcal/day that favors gradual weight loss. Resting expenditure alone is not the correct comparator for total balance.

Question 24Nutrition Assessment

Which statement about using body mass index in older adults is most accurate?

  1. BMI thresholds for overweight do not apply to anyone over 65
  2. BMI may misclassify risk because height loss and sarcopenic obesity alter the relationship with body fat Correct answer.
  3. BMI directly measures lean body mass
  4. BMI is the most accurate measure of body fat in all older adults

Explanation

Age-related height loss and loss of lean mass with preserved fat can distort BMI's relationship to adiposity in older adults. BMI is a crude index and does not directly measure lean mass.

Question 25Nutrition Assessment

Which laboratory value is most useful for monitoring glycemic control over the preceding 2–3 months in a patient with diabetes?

  1. Glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) Correct answer.
  2. Serum fructosamine
  3. Fasting plasma glucose on one occasion
  4. Random capillary glucose

Explanation

HbA1c reflects average glycemia over roughly 2–3 months, matching red cell lifespan. A single fasting or random glucose reflects only one moment, and fructosamine reflects a shorter interval of about 2–3 weeks.

Question 26Nutrition Assessment

During a nutrition-focused physical examination, which finding is most consistent with temporal wasting in an adult?

  1. Loss of the fat pad over the thenar eminence
  2. Hollowing over the temple region with visible bony contours Correct answer.
  3. Bilateral pitting edema of the lower extremities
  4. Spoon-shaped thinning of the fingernails

Explanation

Temporal wasting reflects loss of muscle and subcutaneous fat over the temporalis muscle and appears as hollowing or concavity at the temples. It is a recognized component of the nutrition-focused physical examination used to support a malnutrition diagnosis.

Question 27Nutrition Assessment

A dietitian collects a 24-hour urine collection to estimate protein intake. Which factor most directly limits the accuracy of this estimate?

  1. Urinary creatinine was not measured
  2. The patient consumed a high-fiber diet
  3. The patient fasted for 8 hours overnight
  4. The collection was completed on a single day Correct answer.

Explanation

A 24-hour urine collection captures nitrogen excretion from one day only, so day-to-day variability in protein intake limits how well it represents usual intake. Multiple collections improve the estimate.

Question 28Nutrition Assessment

Which measurement is obtained by placing a tape measure at the midpoint between the acromion and the olecranon with the arm relaxed at the side?

  1. Waist circumference
  2. Hip circumference
  3. Calf circumference
  4. Mid-upper arm circumference Correct answer.

Explanation

Mid-upper arm circumference is measured at the midpoint of the upper arm between the acromion process and olecranon with the arm relaxed. It is used as a proxy for muscle and fat reserves when weight is difficult to obtain.

Question 29Nutrition Assessment

A hospitalized adult has unintentional weight loss of 6% over the past 6 months and a body mass index of 20 kg/m². According to commonly used adult malnutrition diagnostic criteria, which conclusion is most appropriate?

  1. A biochemical marker such as albumin is required to confirm malnutrition
  2. Weight loss and BMI must both be severely abnormal to diagnose malnutrition
  3. Malnutrition is not present because BMI is within the normal range
  4. The weight loss alone meets a severity threshold for malnutrition Correct answer.

Explanation

Adult malnutrition criteria allow diagnosis when unintentional weight loss reaches 5% or more within 6 months, even if BMI remains in the normal range. Meeting one etiologic and one phenotypic criterion is sufficient.

Question 30Nutrition Assessment

Which dietary assessment method relies on the respondent recalling and describing all foods and beverages consumed during the previous 24 hours?

  1. Food balance sheet
  2. Duplicate diet collection
  3. Food frequency questionnaire
  4. 24-hour dietary recall Correct answer.

Explanation

The 24-hour recall asks the respondent to report everything eaten and drunk in the preceding day, often with interviewer probing for details. It is quick but depends on memory and may not reflect usual intake.

Question 31Nutrition Assessment

Which laboratory parameter is most directly used to assess iron status in the early stages of iron depletion before anemia develops?

  1. Hemoglobin concentration
  2. Serum albumin
  3. Total lymphocyte count
  4. Serum ferritin Correct answer.

Explanation

Serum ferritin reflects body iron stores and falls early in iron depletion, before hemoglobin declines. It is the most sensitive single indicator of depleted iron stores in otherwise healthy individuals.

Question 32Nutrition Assessment

A patient's height is recorded as 1.65 m. What is the body mass index when weight is 68 kg?

  1. 24.9 kg/m² Correct answer.
  2. 31.0 kg/m²
  3. 20.9 kg/m²
  4. 28.2 kg/m²

Explanation

BMI is calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared. Dividing 68 by 1.65 squared (2.7225) yields approximately 24.9 kg/m².

Question 33Nutrition Assessment

Which component of the nutrition care process involves obtaining, verifying, and interpreting data needed to identify nutrition-related problems?

  1. Nutrition assessment Correct answer.
  2. Nutrition monitoring and evaluation
  3. Nutrition diagnosis
  4. Nutrition intervention

Explanation

Nutrition assessment is the first step of the nutrition care process and involves collecting and interpreting data to identify nutrition-related problems. It provides the foundation for the nutrition diagnosis.

Question 34Nutrition Assessment

A patient is unable to recall portion sizes accurately during a 24-hour recall. Which strategy best improves the quality of the intake data?

  1. Shorten the recall to only the largest meal
  2. Replace the recall with a single food frequency question
  3. Use food models and measuring guides during probing Correct answer.
  4. Ask the patient to estimate all portions in household measures

Explanation

Using food models, measuring cups, and visual guides helps respondents estimate portions more accurately. This reduces measurement error inherent in recall methods.

Question 35Nutrition Assessment

A 78-year-old nursing home resident has a body mass index of 22 kg/m², has eaten less than half of most meals for 3 weeks, and has a pressure injury. Which finding most strongly supports a nutrition diagnosis of inadequate oral intake?

  1. The BMI of 22 kg/m²
  2. Intake below half of meals for 3 weeks Correct answer.
  3. The patient's age of 78 years
  4. The presence of a pressure injury

Explanation

Prolonged inadequate oral intake is a phenotypic criterion for malnutrition and directly supports a diagnosis of inadequate energy intake. The duration and magnitude of reduced intake are key evidence.

Question 36Nutrition Assessment

A patient with severe ascites and peripheral edema is being assessed for weight change. Which approach is most appropriate for tracking nutritional status?

  1. Rely on daily total body weight without adjustment
  2. Estimate dry weight from the patient's recalled weight
  3. Use body mass index calculated from current weight
  4. Use serial mid-upper arm circumference and assess edema Correct answer.

Explanation

Fluid accumulation confounds body weight in patients with ascites and edema. Serial arm anthropometry and careful documentation of edema provide more reliable indicators of lean tissue change.

Question 37Nutrition Assessment

A clinician wants to screen older adults in a community setting for malnutrition risk using a validated tool. Which instrument is designed for this purpose?

  1. Barthel Index
  2. Glasgow Coma Scale
  3. Braden Scale
  4. Mini Nutritional Assessment Correct answer.

Explanation

The Mini Nutritional Assessment is a validated tool developed to identify older adults at risk of malnutrition. It combines anthropometric, dietary, and general assessment items.

Question 38Nutrition Assessment

A patient's serum prealbumin is low at 12 mg/dL, but the patient has an active infection with elevated C-reactive protein. Which interpretation is most accurate?

  1. The low value may reflect inflammation rather than malnutrition Correct answer.
  2. The value should be used to guide immediate refeeding
  3. The low value confirms protein-energy malnutrition
  4. The value indicates adequate protein intake

Explanation

Prealbumin is a negative acute-phase reactant and declines during inflammation independent of nutritional status. A low value during active infection cannot be attributed to malnutrition alone.

Question 39Nutrition Assessment

A patient reports eating a varied diet but has lost 8% of body weight over 2 months. Which additional assessment data would best clarify whether intake is adequate?

  1. The patient's reported appetite rating only
  2. A prospective 3-day food record with portion estimates Correct answer.
  3. The patient's usual clothing size
  4. A single serum albumin measurement

Explanation

A prospective food record provides quantitative intake data that can be compared with estimated needs, helping explain weight loss despite reported variety. It is more informative than a single biochemical value or subjective report.

Question 40Nutrition Assessment

Which measurement best estimates skeletal muscle mass when bioelectrical impedance analysis is unavailable and dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry is not feasible?

  1. Body mass index
  2. Waist-to-hip ratio
  3. Mid-upper arm muscle circumference Correct answer.
  4. Triceps skinfold thickness

Explanation

Mid-upper arm muscle circumference is derived from arm circumference and triceps skinfold and serves as a field estimate of skeletal muscle mass. It is useful when advanced body composition methods are unavailable.

Question 41Nutrition Assessment

A patient's resting energy expenditure measured by indirect calorimetry is 1,500 kcal/day. Using a stress factor of 1.3 for activity and illness, what is the estimated total energy expenditure?

  1. 1,650 kcal/day
  2. 2,100 kcal/day
  3. 1,800 kcal/day
  4. 1,950 kcal/day Correct answer.

Explanation

Multiplying measured resting energy expenditure by the stress factor gives the estimated total expenditure. 1,500 multiplied by 1.3 equals 1,950 kcal/day.

Question 42Nutrition Assessment

Which factor most limits the usefulness of indirect calorimetry in a patient who is agitated and breathing rapidly through a loose mask?

  1. The patient's body temperature is 37°C
  2. The measurement conditions are unstable and leak-prone Correct answer.
  3. The patient's measured respiratory quotient is 0.85
  4. The patient is receiving continuous enteral nutrition

Explanation

Indirect calorimetry requires a steady state with an airtight seal to accurately measure oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide production. Agitation and a loose mask cause leaks and unstable readings that invalidate results.

Question 43Nutrition Assessment

A patient with a history of alcohol use disorder is admitted with poor oral intake for 10 days. Which assessment finding most increases concern for refeeding syndrome?

  1. Hemoglobin of 13 g/dL
  2. Low serum magnesium and phosphate on admission Correct answer.
  3. Serum potassium of 4.2 mmol/L on admission
  4. Body mass index of 26 kg/m²

Explanation

Low magnesium and phosphate before feeding suggest depleted intracellular stores, and refeeding can precipitate dangerous shifts. A history of alcohol misuse and prolonged poor intake further raises risk.

Question 44Nutrition Assessment

Which statement best describes the role of the nutrition diagnosis in the nutrition care process?

  1. It replaces the nutrition assessment when data are limited
  2. It documents the patient's medical diagnosis for billing
  3. It identifies and labels the specific nutrition problem to be addressed Correct answer.
  4. It records the patient's food preferences for the menu

Explanation

The nutrition diagnosis is a concise statement that identifies and labels the nutrition problem, its etiology, and signs or symptoms. It guides the selection of interventions.

Question 45Nutrition Assessment

A patient's waist circumference is 104 cm and body mass index is 27 kg/m². Which interpretation is most accurate for cardiometabolic risk assessment?

  1. The combination excludes metabolic risk
  2. The BMI alone determines risk without waist measurement
  3. The waist circumference is within recommended limits
  4. The waist circumference indicates substantially increased risk Correct answer.

Explanation

For adult men, a waist circumference above 102 cm indicates substantially increased cardiometabolic risk, and above 88 cm for women. A value of 104 cm exceeds the male threshold.

Question 46Nutrition Assessment

A patient's energy intake is estimated at 1,600 kcal/day while estimated needs are 2,000 kcal/day. Which conclusion is most appropriate?

  1. The patient has an energy deficit of about 400 kcal/day Correct answer.
  2. The patient requires no further monitoring
  3. The patient's protein intake must be excessive
  4. The patient is meeting estimated energy needs

Explanation

Subtracting estimated intake from estimated needs gives an energy deficit of approximately 400 kcal/day. Persistent deficits of this magnitude can contribute to weight loss and should prompt intervention.

Question 47Nutrition Assessment

A researcher needs to estimate usual dietary intake in a large population survey while minimizing respondent burden. Which method is most suitable?

  1. Repeated 24-hour recalls on a subsample
  2. Food frequency questionnaire Correct answer.
  3. Duplicate diet analysis
  4. Weighed food records for 7 days

Explanation

Food frequency questionnaires capture usual intake over an extended period with relatively low respondent burden, making them practical for large surveys. Their structured format allows efficient data collection.

Question 48Nutrition Assessment

A patient with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease has a measured resting energy expenditure of 1,700 kcal/day and is estimated to require a 1.2 activity factor. Which estimated total energy expenditure is most appropriate?

  1. 2,380 kcal/day
  2. 2,040 kcal/day Correct answer.
  3. 2,210 kcal/day
  4. 1,870 kcal/day

Explanation

Multiplying measured resting energy expenditure by the activity factor yields estimated total expenditure. 1,700 multiplied by 1.2 equals 2,040 kcal/day.

Question 49Nutrition Assessment

A patient with cirrhosis has ascites, and serial weights are being used to evaluate nutrition status. Which approach best addresses the confounding effect of fluid?

  1. Use the patient's reported usual weight
  2. Record weight only at admission
  3. Use pre-dialysis or post-paracentesis weights consistently Correct answer.
  4. Estimate weight from height and age

Explanation

Standardizing weight measurement conditions, such as after paracentesis or at a consistent time, reduces the influence of fluid shifts. Consistency improves the interpretability of serial weights.

Question 50Nutrition Assessment

A patient's 24-hour urinary nitrogen excretion is used to estimate protein intake. Which additional measurement is most important for judging whether the collection is complete?

  1. Serum triglycerides
  2. Serum glucose
  3. Dietary fiber intake
  4. Urinary creatinine Correct answer.

Explanation

Urinary creatinine excretion is used to assess the completeness of a 24-hour urine collection because creatinine output is relatively constant. Incomplete collections underestimate nitrogen excretion and protein intake.