What Is Nutritional Assessment?

When children do not eat a healthy meal, their concentration and energy become more difficult to manage. The “Journal of School Health” issued a study in 2008 about the eating behaviors of approximately 5,000 school children. The research showed that children who ate more fruits and vegetables, accomplished higher grades on tests compared with children who consumed a high-fat, high-salt diet

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) reports 16.7 million children under the age of eighteen live in a household where consistent access to adequate amounts of nutritious food for a healthy life is not obtainable. This is called food insecurity. Although this is harmful to any individual, it has major implications for children. Nutrition establishes

As adults, they are also at an increased risk for coronary heart disease and atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) compared with those not overweight as adolescents.” It is important to help reduce the growing trend of obesity in children and young adults, as it has been documented in recent studies that children who are overweight tend to carry this problem with them into adulthood. Revitalizing the school lunch program would be an incremental place for the government to start revamping the obesity problems that they have caused in children. David Satcher stated in HEALTHY and Ready to Learn that, “Well-nourished students tend to be better students, whereas poorly nourished students tend to demonstrate weaker academic performance and score lower on standardized achievement tests. The majority of U.S. children are not eating a balanced, nutrient-rich diet. Inadequate consumption of key food groups deprives children of essential vitamins, minerals, fats, and proteins necessary for optimum cognitive function (Tufts University School of Nutrition, 1995). Children who suffer from poor nutrition during the brains most formative years score much lower on tests of vocabulary, reading comprehension, arithmetic, and general knowledge (Brown & Pollitt, 1996). In a 1989 study, 4th graders with the lowest amount

Children in need of these nutrients can suffer from stunted growth never reaching potential height. Statistics have shown stunted growth children score significantly lower on intelligence tests than do normal children. Hunger interferes with physical, emotional and academic development. According to Freedom from Hunger, “more than 4 million children will die due to hunger related causes.” NASW(2016) shows an important connection food security and nutrition play in physical and mental health.

“School age children with poor nutrition are at risk for: obesity, high blood pressure, sleep problems, diabetes, orthopedic problems, and heart disease”

Hungry children are sick more often and more likely to visit the hospital and these costs result in higher health insurance rates and taxes. Health problems also carry into adulthood, which leads to additional health care costs, absenteeism, and poor performance at work. Hungry children experience lower academic achievement and have social and behavioral problems that carry over into the workforce. As a result, America's workforce is less competitive and less productive. Since the nation's growth depends on the health of America's children, eliminating child hunger should be a priority. Like a vaccine, good nutrition can prevent health problems and increase American productivity with the cooperation of public and private food assistance programs

The nutrition analysis is very helpful tool, which helps to understand Healthy People 2020 nutrition objectives and creates a full wide-ranging self-nutrition assessment. With Healthy People 2020 guidance, we can investigate the impact of the food we eat and what kind of message it sends to our body to stay free of any diseases, also we can identify nutrition’s potencies and weaknesses, and suggest the nutritional plan for healthy living. That’s why what we eat is significant to our

Needy children may or may not eat breakfast, which is considered the most important meal of the day. Sometimes, these children have eaten more nutritiously with oatmeal, milk, and fruit, whereas others have eaten white-flour pancakes with syrup or sugar-laden cereal with milk, water, or nothing else. Even though egg whites, whole grain breads, fruits, and low-fat milk are better choices, they may not be available to them. Many families need education about nutrition and its effects on their children and families. By lunchtime, most poor children’s bodies are depleted and in need of another energy provider, even if they had a breakfast in the first place.

Nutrition is an important aspect of health within all age groups. A nurse’s initial assessment is very important to a patient’s nutritional status because during an assessment, many findings can determine the nutritional status of an individual. For example, a simple examination of a patient’s overall appearance can determine whether the patient is malnourished, by evidence of decreased functional status, decreased bone mass, impaired muscle function, immune dysfunction, reduced cognitive function,

Nutrition is essential for everyone, especially for children. It affects their physical growth and mental development including behaviors, cognitive abilities, weight, and habits. Therefore, food is important for a child to develop cognitively and physically. However, not all families are financially capable of providing their children with healthy and nutritious meals. They are relying on the government throughout various programs to help fulfil their physiological needs and those of their children as well. This paper will demonstrate the effects of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Act on school-age children.

There are several limitations to the dietary assessment, that could affect my diet quality both positively and negatively:

The Nutrition Screening Initiative (NSI) was developed in order to address the prevalence of malnutrition among older adults. This initiative represents the work of the American Academy of Family Physicians and the American Dietetic Association to create a coalition whose goal is to promote the integration of nutrition screening and intervention into healthcare for older adults. NSI helps to increase older adults' awareness about nutrition and health. It differentiates among adequate nutritional status, malnutrition risk and

Your post is well articulated. I agree with you nutritional status assessments. In addition, to your assessments, Mr. J takes multiple daily medications such as; furosemide (Lasix), potassium chloride, and phenytoin (Dilantin). A person who takes multiple daily medications is at higher risk for nutritional alterations due to medication side effects, which may alter appetite. Furthermore, he is at a higher risk for altered nutrition due to his history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease which affects his appetite & also his admitting diagnosis; pneumonia (Sole, Klein, Moseley, 2013, p. 81). The patients’ nutritional status signify that they need intervention which requires the collaboration of the nurse, dietician, physician,

A large problem of childhood poverty is malnutrition. Since these children are growing up in poverty, many of the parents have a hard time supplying food for their kids. Surprisingly, there

With careful nutritional assessment, there are guidelines which have been developed with the aim of improving and maintaining the nutritional status of