• Chief complaints • Medical and family health history • Current medications and supplements • Routine activity levels • Eating habits and recent meals

Perform physical assessment:

• Do general inspection • Assess key body systems – skin, hair and nails; nose, throat and neck; neurologic, cardio, respiratory, GI, renal and muscle systems • Obtain anthropometric measurements – height, weight, body mass index and circumference (midarm and midarm muscle) and skin-fold thickness Evaluate lab tests:  • Albumin – decreased levels indicate protein deficiency, liver or renal disease, heart failure, surgery, infection, or cancer • Hemoglobin – decreased values indicate iron deficiency anemia, over-hydration, or excessive blood loss • Hematocrit – decreased levels indicate anemia; increased values suggest dehydration • Transferrin – reflect protein stores

• Nitrogen – intake and output should be equal • Triglycerides – reflect lipid stores • Cholesterol – high levels increase risk of coronary artery diseases Abnormal findings: • Weight loss – due to decreased food intake, decreased food absorption, increased metabolic requirements or a combination of these. • Weight gain – occurs when ingested calories exceed body requirements for energy, causing increased adipose tissue storage • Anorexia – is a lack of appetite despite a physiological need for food • Muscle wasting – happens when muscle fibers lose bulk and length, causing a visible loss of muscle size and contour