Diet Analysis/nutritionist”
Food Record. In this assignment you will play the “nutritionist” for a younger or older individual. You will need to obtain a food record from a younger person between the ages of 2 to 18, OR a pregnant or lactating woman, OR a senior over the age of 60 years old. (If you don’t know anyone in these categories at least use a different gender than yourself, or talk to me about using someone else. I can create a hypothetical client if necessary.) You may use your own child, a neighbor’s child, friend’s child, niece, nephew, significant other, brother, sister, coworker’s kid, etc., OR you can work with your grandparent, parent, spouse, aunt, uncle, neighbor, coworker, etc. (If it is someone you care about this will have more meaning!)
We will refer to the individual you are working with as your “client.”
Ask your client to keep track of their food intake for three days. Have them write down all meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks), the food eaten and the amount. Be sure they record everything that they eat and drink (except water and supplements). When you look over their food record think of “probes” or questions you could ask to obtain items they may have forgotten. For example, you could ask if they had anything to drink with a meal? Did they have any condiments with that sandwich, or that entree? Any snacks between meals? Beverages? Clarify amounts consumed. Etc. It is very difficult to remember all items and probes help to recall food items that can add up nutritionally.
Ask them to keep track of typical days. This is their opportunity to have you assess their diet! Ideally they should record one weekend day and two week days.
If your client is a child you can obtain information from their parent or caregiver (or yourself!). If your client is a senior you may interview their spouse or significant other if that helps. Just try to obtain as accurate of an account of your client’s intake as you can.
You will also need to ask them their approximate height, weight, age, and activity level so you can enter their profile to determine their individual dietary recommendations. (DRI’s) You will need to create a new profile for your client in SuperTracker.
Enter their 3 day intake under their profile.
Please describe your Client: ___________________________________
(i.e. 6 year old boy, 72 year old female, etc.)
What is your client’s BMI? _________
May use: http://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/assessing/bmi/index.html
Brief Medical History: (any chronic diseases?)________________________
When using MyPlate (SuperTracker) DA Program:
After entering data go to the “My reports” tab. Choose “Nutrients Reports” option. In the section labeled “View reports from” are two calendars. Adjust the dates to include the 3 days you have entered. (Note: Do not enter other information between these dates!) This program will then average all three days for you.
Fill in the following table completely with your results.
NUTRIENT Client’s Average INTAKE for
3 days Client’s DRI or
“Target” %DRI
(Divide intake by DRI x 100)
Total Calories
Fiber (g)
Vit. A (mcg RAE)
Vitamin C (mg)
Calcium (mg)
Iron (mg)
Potassium (mg)
Magnesium (mg)
Other*
Next 3 stay below:
Saturated fat (%) Goal: Less than 10% total kcal.
Did you meet or exceed the goal?
(circle “meet” or “exceed”)
Cholesterol (mg) Goal: Less than 300 mg Did you meet or exceed the goal?
Sodium (mg) Goal: UL Values!
1-3 yrs: 1500 mg
4-8 yrs: 1900 mg
9-13 yrs: 2200 mg
14 and up: 2300 mg Did you meet or exceed the goal?
*You may enter a different nutrient of interest or leave blank.
COMPARING MACRONUTRIENT %’s TO AMDR’s (find the correct column and compare)
Macronutrient 1-3 years 4-18 years Adult > 19 yr Client’s Value
Protein (% kcal) 5-20% 10-30% 10-35%
CHO (% kcal) 45-65% 45-65% 45-65%
Fat (% kcal) 30-40% 25-35% 20-35%
How did your client’s macronutrient percentages compare to the AMDR recommendations?
(Remember these values just show you if the distribution of kcal from the macronutrients are in good proportion. It doesn’t mean they had “enough” if their total kcal are low. Also there are different % ranges for macronutrients for younger aged clients.)
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Vitamins A and C function as antioxidants in our body and may prevent cardiovascular disease as well as certain cancers. Adequate iron prevents anemia.
Potassium, magnesium, and calcium may help prevent hypertension.
One out of every two women in the US will experience osteoporosis in her lifetime. Adequate calcium prevents osteoporosis and weak bones.
For which vitamins and minerals did your client consume less than their needs (%DRI)?
______________________________________________________________________________
Dietary fiber helps lower cholesterol, helps regulate blood sugars, and helps our body eliminate waste products and may reduce our risk of colon cancer. How was their total (%DRI) for dietary fiber compared to their recommendation?
To help prevent hypertension and cardiovascular disease, an Adequate Intake (AI) has been established of <1000 mg of sodium per day for ages 1-3 yrs, 1200 mg for ages 4-8 yrs, <1500 mg for ages 9-50 yrs, < 1300 mg for ages 51-70 yrs, <1200 mg for adults over 70 years of age.
The DRI upper limit for sodium is 2300 mg. per day for ages 14 and up. Remember we become much more sodium sensitive as we age. (The UL for children 1-3 years is 1500 mg, 1900 mg for 4-8 years of age, and 2200 mg for 9-13 year olds.) How much sodium did your client consume? Using both the AI and the UL value, did your client exceed these recommendations? Comment on results of both.
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A diet low in cholesterol and saturated fat is recommended to help prevent cardiovascular disease. The American Heart Association’s goal for cholesterol is less than 300 milligrams/day. The recommendation for saturated fat is to consume less than 10% or your total kcal. How did your client do in regards to these two recommendations?
Is your client considered overweight based on their BMI? ______________
(You may use: http://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/assessing/index.html – options on left side)
Do you feel their BMI is accurate in categorizing them? Does their BMI put them at risk for chronic diseases associated with obesity? Underweight and osteoporosis?
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Looking at the results of this three day analysis, what chronic nutrition related diseases is your client putting themselves at risk for?
cardiovascular disease: overweight, high cholesterol, high sodium, high saturated fat, low fiber, low antioxidants – vitamins A and C;
diabetes: overweight, low fiber, low antioxidants, low magnesium, high fat, high saturated fat; stroke/hypertension: overweight, high sodium, low potassium, magnesium, and calcium;
some cancers: overweight, low fiber, low antioxidants;
osteoporosis: underweight, low calcium, low magnesium, potassium, low Vitamin D, K, and A.
List all chronic diseases your client may be at risk of and why you feel they are at risk .
Does your client meet the minimum recommendations for physical activity?
(Aerobic: at least 150 minutes per week, Flexibility: at least 2-3 days a week, and
Muscle strength and endurance: at least 2-3 nonconsecutive days a week) Yes? No? ________
Looking at all of this information, what are 2 specific suggestions you could recommend to your client to improve their diet and/or health based on these three days? You will need to talk to them about what would work for them. (i.e. Not just eat more fruit……what fruit? When?)
Talk to them (or their parent) about what they could and actually would do to meet the recommendations. You are the nutritionist in this role.
Remember….. diet is a way of life and it has to work for each unique individual.
These recommendations are a significant part of this assignment! BE SPECIFIC!
Consider what nutrients they might be low in? What foods do they like that would provide these nutrients? When could they add them that would fit in with their routine?
Consider if they need to lower saturated fat, cholesterol, or sodium? What changes to their diet would help to lower these? Remember small changes add up.
We don’t want to overwhelm them so just pick two reasonable dietary strategies.
When could they make these changes? At what meal?
What changes would really work for them?
Tell me what and when you are suggesting these changes.
1. __________________________________________________________________
2. __________________________________________________________________
What does your client think of your recommendations?! _____________________________
Please do not print any reports other than those requested.
Required Reports:
From MyPlate SuperTracker DA Program:
1) Print a “Meal Summary Report” of these three days – neatly handwrite your suggestions on report for what and when you are recommending your changes.