Aim of nutritional assessment
To identify nutritional problems of the community
To find the underlying cause for malnutrition
To plan and implement control of malnutrition
Maintain good nutrition of community
2. Contents
Need for nutritional assessment
Types of surveys
Elements of nutritional assessment
Clinical examination
Anthropometry
Lab and Biochemical tests
Dietary survey
Study of vital statistics
Assessment of ecological factors
3. Aim of nutritional assessment
To identify nutritional problems of the
community
To find the underlying cause for
malnutrition
To plan and implement() control of
malnutrition
Maintain good nutrition of community
4. Types of surveys
Longitudinal
Cross-sectional
In longitudinal surveys some families are
observed (, ) for one year or longer
In cross-sectional survey a sample is
examined for prevalence of malnutrition
5. Elements of Nutritional Assessment
Clinical examination
Anthropometry
Laboratory and biochemical tests
Dietary surveys
Study of vital statistics
Assessment of ecological factors
7. Anthropometry
Weight (for age)
Is the most important measure for assessing
malnutrition
Height (Length in children <2years
Head circumference in 0-4 years
Mid-upper arm circumference
Skin fold thickness
8. Weight (for age)
Weight of the child can be plotted on a growth
chart to monitor the growth of the child
The upper and lower limit of normal weight is
shown by two lines – road to health
The weight of the child should be between the
two lines
If the weight of the child is below the lower line it
is malnutrition and if the weight of the child is
above the upper line it is overweight
10. Laboratory and Biochemical examination
Laboratory tests – Hb, stool for ova
Biochemical tests – Serum protein, serum
iron etc.
Biochemical tests are usually done on a
small sample of people
11. Dietary surveys
Dietary survey provide a real picture of the
food consumption of the community
It can be done in three ways:
Weighing of raw foods for about 7 days and a
average daily consumption is calculated
Weighing cooked food. Even though this is
better, most people do not like it.
Oral questionnaire method – quantity of food
eaten over the last 24 hours is calculated.
12. The study of Vital Statistics
Nutritional status influence these rates
Infant Mortality Rate
Rate of Low Birth weight
Life expectancy
13. Assessment of Ecological factors
Is necessary to get the complete picture of
nutritional status. They are:
Cultural factors - food habits, beliefs
Food production – food cultivation, storage,
marketing
Socio-economic factors – family size,
educational status, per-capita income
Health and nutritional services – immunization,
feeding programmes
14. Summary
It is important to assess the nutritional
status of the community to promote health,
prevent malnutrition and control
malnutrition.
Nutritional surveys will give us the
information
Methods of nutritional assessment are:
Clinical examination
15. Summary cont’d
Anthropometry
Lab and biochemical test
Dietary survey
Study of vital statistics
Assessment of ecological factors
Good nutrition leads to healthy people and
health community