Which method is used to assess a patient's nutritional status?

Evaluating dietary intake and laboratory values is a fundamental method for assessing a patient's nutritional status. This approach typically involves collecting detailed information about the patient’s food and drink consumption patterns to understand their nutritional habits and identify any deficiencies or excesses. Alongside dietary assessments, laboratory values provide objective data regarding various biomarkers related to nutrition, such as levels of hemoglobin, serum albumin, and vitamin/mineral levels, which offer insight into the body’s nutritional state. Together, these assessments enable healthcare professionals to create an accurate picture of a patient’s nutritional health, guiding appropriate interventions if necessary.

Other methods, like monitoring medication adherence or conducting mental health screenings, may contribute to a holistic understanding of a patient's overall health but do not specifically focus on nutritional status. Similarly, while assessing physical activity levels provides important information about a patient’s lifestyle, it does not directly assess nutrition, which specifically concerns food intake and nutrient absorption.