Chapter 5 (biochemical, physical, and functional assessment)

25 hydroxy vitamin D [25(OH)D₃]

used to estimate vitamin D status

air displacement plethysmogram (ADP)

relies on measurements of body density to estimate body fat and fat-free masses

albumin

responsible for the transport of major blood constituents, hormones, enzymes, medications, minerals, ions, fatty acids, amino acids, and metabolites

analyte

a substance whose chemical constituents are being identified and measured

anemia of chronic and inflammatory disease (ACD)

a type of anemia that is associated with autoimmune diseases, rheumatic diseases, chronic heart failure, chronic infection, Hodgkin’s disease and other types of cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, kidney disease, and other chronic inflammatory conditions, severe tissue injury, and multiple fractures; does not respond to iron supplementation

anthropometry

obtaining physical measurements of an individual, comparing them to standards that reflect the growth and development of that individual, and using them for evaluating over-nutrition, undernutrition, or the effects of nutrition preventions over a period of time

basic metabolic panel (BMP)

eight tests used for screening blood glucose level, electrolyte and fluid balance, and kidney function

bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA)

estimates body composition and cellular activity by measuring the bulk of the electrical impedance in the body

body composition

a critical component of nutrition assessment and medical status that is used concurrently with other assessment factors to differentiate the estimated proportions of fat mass, soft tissue body mass, and bone mass

body mass index (BMI)

a numerical measure calculated from a person’s weight and height; used to assess whether an individual’s weight falls within a healthy range

complete blood count (CBC)

provides a count of the cells in the blood and description of the RBCs

comprehensive metabolic panel (CMP)

all the tests in the BMP and six additional tests to evaluate liver function

C-reactive protein (CRP)

a nonspecific marker of inflammation that may help estimate and monitor the severity of illness

creatinine

formed from creatine; a waste from protein and muscle breakdown

dehydration

excessive loss of water and electrolytes

differential count

typically refers to a blood test that measures the different types of white blood cells in your blood

dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA)

measures fat, bone mineral, and fat-free soft tissue using the energy source of an x-ray tube that contains an energy beam

edema

aka over-hydration; occurs when there is an increase in the extracellular fluid volume

erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR)

reflects the rate at which RBCs settle into columns or stacks in a saline or plasma within a given time period

ferritin

a protein that stores iron in the body; a positive acute-phase reactant protein (the synthesis of ferritin increases in the presence of inflammation)

functional medicine

an evolving, evidence-based discipline that sees the body with its mutually interactive systems as a whole, rather than as a set of isolated signs and symptoms

Functional Nutrition Assessment

acknowledges the web like interconnectedness of internal physiologic factors and identifies root causes of chronic disease by integrating traditional dietetic practice with nutritional genomics, the restoration of gastrointestinal function, the quelling of chronic inflammation, and the interpretation of nutritional biomarkers

head circumference

a measurement often used in pediatric populations to assess brain growth and development, as it can indicate nutritional status, health conditions, and growth patterns over time

height-for-age

an important indicator used in nutrition to assess a child’s growth and development; it measures a child’s height compared to the average height of children of the same age and sex in a reference population

hematocrit (Hct)

volume percentage or volume fraction of packed red blood cells in blood

hemoglobin (Hgb)

a crucial protein found in red blood cells that is responsible for transporting oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body and carrying carbon dioxide back to the lungs for exhalation

hemoglobin A1C (Hgb A1C)

a blood test that measures your average blood sugar level over the past 2 to 3 months; does not reflect more recent changes in glucose levels

high-sensitivity CRP (hs-CRP)

a more sensitive measure of chronic inflammation seen in patients with atherosclerosis and other chronic diseases

homocysteine

an amino acid found in the blood that plays a significant role in nutrition and overall health

ideal body weight (IBW)

the weight at which a person has the lowest risk of death (the weight at which a person is getting all the nutrition they need to be as healthy as possible)

inflammation

a protective response by the immune system to infection, acute illness, trauma, toxins, many chronic diseases, and physical stress

length-for-age

a key indicator used in nutrition to assess the growth and development of infants and young children; it measures the child’s length compared to the average length of children of the same age and sex in a reference population

macrocytic anemia

a condition where a person has abnormally large RBCs and not enough healthy RBCs; generally caused by either folate- or vitamin B₁₂-deficient erythropoiesis

methylmalonic acid (MMA)

a compound produced in the body during the metabolism of certain amino acids and fats

microcytic anemia

a condition where RBCs are smaller than normal; associated most often with iron deficiency

midarm circumference (MAC)

measured in cm halfway between the acromion process of the scapula and the olecranon process at the tip of the elbow

negative acute-phase reactants

proteins whose levels decrease in response to inflammation

osteocalcin

bone G1a protein (BGP); one of the most abundant noncollagenous proteins in bone

positive acute-phase reactants

proteins whose levels increase in response to inflammation

prealbumin (PAB)

a hepatic protein transported in the serum as a complex of retinol-binding protein and vitamin A

Quetelet index (W/H²)

a parameter used to determine nutritional status, calculated by the formula QI = Body weight in kg / Height in m²

retinol

a form of vitamin A that is required for maintaining good vision, healthy skin, and a well-functioning immune system

retinol-binding protein (RBP)

the hepatic protein with the shortest half-life (12 hours); a small plasma protein that does not pass through the renal glomerulus because it circulates in a complex with PAB

serum iron

measures the amount of circulating iron that is bound to transferrin

stadiometer

a device used to measure a person’s height accurately

total iron-binding capacity (TIBC)

a direct measure of all proteins available to bind mobile iron and depends on the number of free binding sites on the plasma iron-transport protein transferrin

transferrin

a globulin protein that transports iron to the bone marrow for production of hemoglobin

transthyretin (TTHY)

the official name of prealbumin (PAB)

triceps skin fold (TSF)

a necessary calculation of the upper arm muscle circumference that provides information about fat reserves of the body and the calculated muscle mass provides information about the protein reserves

urinalysis

used as a screening or diagnostic tool to detect substances or cellular material in the urine associated with different metabolic and kidney disorders

usual body weight (UBW)

the weight that a person typically maintains over a period of time, under normal circumstances

waist circumference (WC)

obtained by measuring the distance around the narrowest area of the waist between the lowest rib and iliac crest and above the umbilicus using a non-stretch tape measure

waist-to-height ratio (WHtR)

calculated by dividing the waist circumference by height

waist-to-hip ratio (WHR)

calculated by dividing the circumference of the waist by the circumference of the hips

weight-for-age

measures a child’s weight compared to the average weight of children of the same age and sex in a reference population

weight-for-length

measures a child’s weight compared to the weight of children the same length and sex in a reference population