Unit 2 Assignment

Comprehensive Nutritional Assessment for CO: A Holistic Approach to Health and Well-being

Olivia G. Chappell

Purdue Global University

NS310: Nutritional Analysis and Assessment

Dr. Mara Davidson

Comprehensive Nutritional Assessment for CO: A Holistic Approach to Health and Well-being

The evaluation of one's nutritional status is of utmost importance when looking at their general

health and wellness. This paper dives into the scenario of CO, a 45-year-old Hispanic mother of three,

who possesses diverse health markers and lifestyle elements. The objective is to propose a

comprehensive nutritional assessment plan that is specifically tailored to her profile.

Based on this patient’s 24-hour recall provided, you get a small glimpse into her nutrient intake.

The granola bar served during breakfast offers carbohydrates, but lacks essential nutrients. Diet Coke,

on the other hand, provides minimal nutritional value. Her lunch consisted of a combination of protein,

fat, and carbohydrates. However, the inclusion of a large sweet tea may add excessive sugars. Dinner

incorporated a blend of carbohydrates, protein, and fats. Although the salad contributes some

vegetables, the overall meal might contain high levels of sodium and saturated fats. The snacks

consumed were rich in sugars and fats, supplying energy but offering limited nutritional benefits.

CO, an executive secretary in a law office, is a mother of three teenagers who has a history of

irregular bowel movements, occasional smoking as a result of stress, and experiences tiredness after

work. Her children were born with birth weights ranging from 9-1/2 to 11 lbs, and there is a family

history of heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. CO's blood pressure is measured at 150/90, and her

glucose and lipid profiles indicate elevated levels. She is currently taking medications, including

Metformin, Lexapro, and a multivitamin. With a height of 165 cm and a weight of 100 kg, CO's health

condition necessitates an in-depth and personally tailored nutritional assessment. This extensive

evaluation will encompass a more elaborate food log, broadening the perspective beyond a single day

and diving further into her habitual eating habits. It will also be imperative to conduct more thorough

assessments and measurements, including anthropometric measurements, clinical evaluations,

her lifestyle factors, monitoring of blood pressure, and a review of medications.

FFQs have been designed to effectively capture an individual's long-term dietary habits and

patterns. In contrast to other methods of dietary assessment that primarily focus on short-term intake,

FFQs offer a retrospective view of food consumption over a longer period, usually ranging from weeks to

months. This feature proves to be of great value in comprehending habitual dietary behaviors (Cui,

2021). Anthropometric measurements will also be of great value to this patient’s case. Measurements

such as BMI and waist circumference will shed light on her weight status, abdominal fat distribution, and

associated health risks. This will help to guide recommendations for achieving a healthy body

composition. A comprehensive clinical evaluation will include a physical examination to detect any

indications of malnutrition or deficiencies in nutrients.

For the biochemical assessments, additional blood tests will be conducted to comprehensively

assess CO's glucose levels and lipid profile, essential for understanding her diabetes risk and

cardiovascular health. Considering she is on medication taken for prediabetes, and still shows at-risk

levels of glucose it is imperative to assess everything. The blood test that I would utilize would be the

A1C, the test is beneficial for both patients and healthcare providers as it eliminates the need for fasting

and lengthy visits to the lab (Recommended Tests, n.d.).

Recommendations can be developed to improve the patient's overall well-being by carefully

evaluating the patient's physical activity level and lifestyle/behavior specifics. By assessing CO's current

physical activity level, such as her utilization of stairs at work, suggestions for increasing physical activity

can be provided. Additionally, examining smoking habits, stress levels, and irregular bowel movements

will contribute to a detailed understanding of CO's lifestyle and behavioral factors that impact her

nutritional status. Furthermore, to manage and reduce the risk of cardiovascular complications, regular

level monitoring will be implemented for CO's high blood pressure.

understand their impact on her nutrition and any potential interactions. A medication review is crucial,

considering that medications can contribute to decreased nutrient absorption and other issues.

Metformin has been linked to decreased absorption of vitamin B12. Prolonged use of metformin may

contribute to a deficiency in vitamin B12, which is important for neurological function and the

production of red blood cells (Wakeman, 2020). It is advisable to monitor B12 levels and consider

supplementation to address any potential deficiencies. Metformin can also cause gastrointestinal side

effects in certain people, including nausea, diarrhea, and decreased appetite. These symptoms may

directly affect the amount of food consumed and the absorption of nutrients from that food, which can

have an impact on overall nutritional status. Lexapro, an antidepressant, can affect appetite and weight.

It is possible for some people to have changes in appetite, either an increase or a decrease, and this can

lead to changes in weight. It is important for the team to keep track of any weight changes and address

any concerns regarding appetite changes that may affect dietary decisions. The patient is also on

multivitamins so it is of utmost importance to evaluate if the multivitamin complements the dietary and

nutritional requirements of the individual, while also preventing excessive consumption of specific

nutrients.

In summary, when conducting a thorough nutritional evaluation for CO, it is crucial to consider

different aspects of her well-being. This includes not only her eating habits but also her lifestyle, clinical

signs, and biochemical markers. The personalized strategy is designed to tackle her individual health

issues, such as the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular well-being. This will involve providing CO with

tailored nutrition advice, education, and setting achievable goals. By regularly monitoring her progress

and adopting a multidisciplinary approach, the objective is to empower CO to make lasting lifestyle

modifications and enhance her overall state of health.

FOODS Calories Carbs Fat Protein CholesterolSodium sugar Fiber Potassium Vitamin A Vitamin C Iron
Breakfast and Lunch
Diet coke, 1 can (12fl oz) 0 0g 0g 0g 40mg 0mg 0% 0% 0%
Quaker Chewy bar, 1 bar 100 17g 4g 1g 0mg 70mg 7g 1g 57mg 0% 0% 3%
Sweet tea, 2 small drink (12 oz) 231 59g 0g 0g 0mg 22mg 57g 0g 253mg 0% 0% 1%
Tomato - Tomato Wedge, 1 wedge 6 1g 0g 0g 0mg 2mg 1g 0g 73mg 0% 0% 1%
Lettuce - Iceberg Lettuce - Leaf, 1 topping 2 0g 0g 0g 0mg 2mg 0g 0g 102mg 1% 0% 0%
Mayonnaise, 2 tablespoon 188 0g 21g 0g 12mg 175mg 0g 0g 6mg 0% 0% 0%
Turkey sandwich - Turkey Sandwich, 1 sandwich 300 35g 7g 20g 40mg 810mg 3g 2g 0mg 4% 10% 15%
Binky's - Cream of Broccoli and Cheese Soup, 2 Cups 137 18g 2g 13g 502mg 2g 0mg 0% 0% 0%
Dinner and Snacks
Texas Toast - Texas Toast, 1 Slice 100 20g 0g 3g 0mg 0mg 0g 0g 0mg 0% 0% 0%
Diet coke, 2 can (12fl oz) 0 0g 0g 0g 79mg 0mg 0% 0% 0%
Ranch dressing, 3 tablespoon 190 3g 20g 1g 11mg 397mg 2g 0g 28mg 0% 0% 1%
Small House Salad - Salad, 1 bowl 23 3g 0g 1g 0mg 100mg 0g 1g 200mg 3% 0% 0%
Stouffers - Lasagna, 2 cup 580 60g 18g 46g 60mg 1340mg 12g 6g 0mg 20% 12% 20%
ice cream - chocolate chip , 2 cup 420 48g 24g 6g 75mg 165mg 48g 0g 450mg 12% 6% 6%
krispy cream glazed donut - Glazed Donut, 2 donut 400 44g 24g 4g 10mg 190mg 20g 0g 0mg 0% 0% 0%
Snickers - Candy Bar, 2 oz. 250 32g 12g 4g 5mg 125mg 28g 1g 0mg 0% 0% 0%
TOTALS 2927 340g 134g 99g 213mg 4019mg 180g 11g 1169mg 40% 28% 47%
 References

Cui, Q., Xia, Y., Wu, Q., Chang, Q., Niu, K., & Zhao, Y. (2021, January 11). A meta-analysis of the

reproducibility of food frequency questionnaires in nutritional epidemiological studies -

International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and physical activity. BioMed Central.

https://ijbnpa.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12966-020-01078-4#citeas

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). Recommended tests for identifying prediabetes -

niddk. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.

https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/professionals/clinical-tools-patient-

management/diabetes/game-plan-preventing-type-2-diabetes/prediabetes-screening-how-why/

recommended-tests-identifying-prediabetes

Wakeman, M., & Archer, D. T. (2020). Metformin and Micronutrient Status in Type 2 Diabetes: Does

Polypharmacy Involving Acid-Suppressing Medications Affect Vitamin B12 Levels?. Diabetes,

metabolic syndrome and obesity : targets and therapy, 13, 2093–2108.

https://doi.org/10.2147/DMSO.S237454