ABSTRACT
Nutrition screening and assessment are important steps in identifying individuals who may have nutrition-related health problem(s) and/or malnutrition. Several validated nutrition assessment tools are widely referenced in the literature. The Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) has been validated among adults over age 65 who are malnourished or who are at risk for malnutrition. A second nutrition assessment tool that has been validated and demonstrated to have excellent reliability is the Subjective Global Assessment (SGA) tool, described by Detsky and colleagues in 1987. Many practitioners can proficiently review medical and dietary histories, anthropometric measurements, and laboratory indicators to determine the likelihood of nutritional problems. Anthropometric nutrition assessment data typically consists of height, weight, weight history, body mass index (BMI), and possibly skin fold and circumference measurements, and/or body composition measurements. After a nutrition assessment has been generated following the analysis and synthesis of pertinent data, the practitioner develops a nutrition diagnosis.
