How do you assess a patient's health and nutritional needs?

"During an intake, I usually follow a five-step process of gathering food/nutrition-related history, taking anthropometric measurements, gathering biochemical data if necessary, nutrition-focused physical findings, and a thorough review of the client's history. I try to gather this from the patient's medical records, through the patient interview process, and sometimes the patient's family members if the patient has a cognitive disability. Based on my initial assessment and intake findings, this will guide my path for suggesting nutritional or dietary plans."

"Before I see a patient, I review the patient's medical records (if available) and review any prior notes relating to food allergies, dietary restrictions, nutritional diagnosis, and any nutrition interventions that may have previously been in place for the patient. This gives me some insight ahead of time and helps guide the question I ask in the next step. I then interview the patient to understand their eating habits, if they have had any recent weight loss or gain, what foods they like and dislike, their activity level, etc. I take measurements to get data like BMI, weight, and height. I make sure we review all current medications and diagnoses throughout the process so I have a full picture of their current health status. Based on this information, I'll review what nutritional plans would best support their health and goals."