Utilization of Nutrition‐Focused Physical Assessment in Identifying Micronutrient Deficiencies

Abstract

Heightened interest in and utilization of parts of the nutrition-focused physical assessment (NFPA) have increased with recent guidelines in defining malnutrition and the call to awareness among healthcare practitioners to recognize, document, and intervene in malnourished patients. Furthermore, an increased prevalence of nutrient deficiencies has been reported in surgical weight loss patients, those with various acute and chronic diseases, and the elderly requiring physical assessment and examination skills to identify these deficiencies. The registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN) can use the NFPA to note physical findings to use along with the other domains in the nutrition assessment to determine the nutrition-related diagnosis, while other nutrition professionals can use the NFPA findings to determine a differential diagnosis. This article outlines the NFPA and how to determine physical findings related to micronutrient deficiencies, which can have a profound impact on overall nutrition status.