Nutrition Therapy 2 Lec

• Medical nutrition therapy is an evidence-based process aiming to treat or manage a disease through nutrition
• Components of medical nutrition therapy include assessment of nutritional status and provision of nutritional diagnosis, diet modifications, counseling, and specialized nutrition therapies
• Medical nutrition therapy is provided by a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) or a nutrition professional
• Medical nutrition therapy consists of two phases: nutrition assessment and nutrition therapy
• Nutrition assessment evaluates nutritional status through measurements of food and nutrient intake and evaluation of nutrition-related indicators such as anthropometric measurements, physical findings, and laboratory test results
• Nutrition assessment is a method of obtaining, verifying, and interpreting data needed to identify nutrition-related problems, their causes, and significance
• Nutrition therapy refers to the interventions used in the treatment of a disorder or illness and includes diet therapy, nutrition counseling, and/or the use of specialized nutrition therapies
• Diet therapy is concerned with the use of food for therapeutic purposes
• Diet counseling helps people make healthy food choices and form healthy eating habits, providing individualized nutritional care for encouraging the modification of eating habits
• Oral Nutritional Supplements (ONS) provide additional nutrients, including protein and energy, for people who are not meeting their nutrition needs through food alone
• ONS should be considered in people who are malnourished, as defined by a BMI of less than 18.5 kg/m or unintentional weight loss greater than 10% within the last 3–6 months