|
More about Protein-Energy Malnutrition:
Definition Causes and symptoms Diagnosis Treatment Prognosis Prevention Resources |
A thorough physical examination and a health history that probes eating habits and weight changes, focuses on body-fat composition and muscle strength, and assesses gastrointestinal symptoms, underlying illness, and nutritional status is often as accurate as blood tests and urinalyses used to detect and document abnormalities.
Some doctors further quantify a patient's nutritional status by:
- comparing height and weight to standardized norms
- calculating body mass index (BMI)
- measuring skinfold thickness or the circumference of the upper arm
— Maureen Haggerty
