in partial fulfil]ment of the - MSpace - University of Manitoba

Chapter 2
REVIEI^¡ OF THE TITERÀTURE
2.1 NUTRITIONAL STÀTUS ASSESSMENT
Nutritional status assessment is a comprehensive process of identifying
individuals and population groups at nutritional risk and of planning,
implementing and evaluating a course of action (simlo et aI.,
1980). Nutritional status assessment could be carried out by using
anthropometric techniques, clinical examination, dietary methodologies,
and laboratory (biochemical) methods. Ànthropometric techniques of
nutritional status assessment involve the measurement of weight, height,
head circumference, mid-upper arm circumference and triceps skinfold
thickness (Robbins and Trowbridge, '1984). Ànthropometric techniques are
easy to use, inexpensive, and are not time consuming.They are frequently
used to assess nutritional status under field conditions. Nutritional
status assessnent using clinical (physical) examination involves identifying
indicator changes on external parts of the body, such as, hair,
face, eyes, 1ips, tongue, gums and skin (Owen, 1984). This melhod
requires a well trained professional in order to identify the various
signs and symptoms of PEM and could be time consuming. Dietary meLhodologies
of nutritional status assessmenl include twenly-four hour
recalr, food frequencies, food records and food history (wright and
Guthrie, 1984). Dietary methodologies are not expensive and could be
used under field conditions.They are, however, time consuming.
Laboralory techniques for assessing nutritional sÈatus measure lhe nut-
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