_______________________________________________________________________ Chapter 9 Nutrition 27
Introduction to Medical-Surgical Nursing, 6th ed.
Vegetarian Diets
• Many vegetarians eat all foods except red meat, although some exclude poultry and fish
as well
• Lacto-vegetarian diet
• Includes milk, cheese, and other dairy products but excludes meat, fish, poultry,
and eggs
• Lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet
• Includes dairy products and eggs but excludes meat, fish, and poultry
• Vegan
• Consumes no foods of animal origin
TALKING POINTS:
• Vegetarian diets are not new but have only gradually gained acceptance as a balanced
Nursing Assessment of Nutritional Status
• Dietary history
• Physical, psychological, social, and medical data that may affect nutritional status
• Anthropometric data
• Height, weight (including weight patterns), and body composition
• Laboratory data
• Serum albumin, total lymphocyte count (TLC), creatinine/height index, nitrogen
balance, mean corpuscular volume (MCV), and transferrin saturation
• Physical examination data
TALKING POINTS:
• The well-nourished person should have shiny and healthy-looking hair, bright and clear
eyes, smooth facial skin with good color, smooth lips and tongue, and healthy teeth and
gums.
• What are the signs of malnutrition?
Weight Management and Eating Disorders
• Most adults maintain a constant weight but must eat and exercise consistently on a daily
basis
• Overweight: obese if weight is 20% or more above ideal body weight
• Underweight: weight is 15% to 20% or more below accepted weight standards
• Eating disorders fairly common among teenage girls and young women, and may persist
into adulthood
TALKING POINTS: