Nutritional Needs: Diagnosis

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Recognizing poor nutrition

Overall appearance and behavior can alert health care professionals to poor nutrition. Patients may present with one or more symptoms, including fatigue, frequent infections, bones that are soft and tender, bruising easily, poor dental health, poor growth and development, and achy joints or muscles.1,2 Nutritional status is typically determined by dietary recalls and food records, and eliminating one or more food groups or inadequate food intake from all the food groups may indicate poor nutrient intake.3,4 The body stores certain vitamins and minerals in tissues, and it’s not possible to accurately assess the levels of all micronutrients in serum or plasma. However, measuring biomarkers for nutrients such as vitamin B12, vitamin D, and iron is useful in determining nutrient status.5,6

Nutrient needs change with age and stage of life and they are gender-specific.6 A patient’s medical history, medication use, and socioeconomic factors help determine the risk for micronutrient shortfalls in the diet. Populations at greater risk for vitamin and mineral insufficiency include5:

  • Women of childbearing age, pregnant and lactating women (iron, folate, vitamin D, vitamin E)7
  • Women over the age of 50 (calcium, vitamin D, vitamin B12)7
  • Older adults (folate, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, vitamin C, vitamin D, calcium, iron, zinc)7
  • People with dark-colored skin; those who cover all exposed skin or use sunscreen whenever outside; and individuals who spend most of their time indoors (vitamin D)8,9
  • People experiencing food insecurity (multiple micronutrients)9
  • Patients with fat malabsorption syndromes (fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K)9
  • People with obesity (multiple micronutrients)10
  • Bariatric patients (multiple micronutrients)9
  • People who consume alcohol to excess (vitamin A, B vitamins, folate)9
  • Smokers (vitamins C and E)9
  • People with type 2 diabetes (vitamin B12, magnesium)8,9
  • People following a special diet or low-calorie diet (multiple micronutrients)9

People who take medications that interfere with the absorption or metabolism of certain micronutrients, such as oral contraceptives, proton pump inhibitors, metformin, certain diuretics, and NSAIDS (vitamin B12, calcium, potassium, and other nutrients).9

Understanding Nutritional Health

Causes icon

Causes

Find out about the causes of nutritional inadequacies and deficiencies.

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Management icon

Management

Learn how nutritional inadequacies and deficiencies can be managed.

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Overview of Nutritional Needs

Find out more about good nutrition related to overall health and wellness.

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The Centrum Range

Centrum Forte Essentials - Adult

Centrum Forte Essentials - Adult

A daily multivitamin and mineral supplement that helps bridge nutrient gaps.7

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Centrum Select Essentials - Adults 50+

Centrum Select Essentials - Adults 50+

Help meet the nutritional needs of adults 50 years of age and older.7

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Centrum Women 50+

Centrum Women 50+

Tailored for women 50 years and older.7

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