Journal of Community Medicine & Health Education
Open Access

Abstract

Nutritional assessment is used to evaluate nutritional status, identify disorders of nutrition and determine which individuals need instruction and support (Moore, 2005).Nutrition is the cornerstone of socioeconomic development of a country. It is necessary to make significant progress in nutrition in order to achieve other millennium development goals, half of the world�s malnourished (Lodhi, H.S., Rehman, M.2010). The nutritional status of an individual is often the result of many interrelated factors. It is influenced by the adequacy of food intake both in terms of quantity and quality and also by the physical health of the individual (Abdelaziz, Elamin, 2002).Nursing is a stressful profession, caring for client�s individuals, families� groups population or entire communities. It is not always easy to find time to eat but they cannot sit down to eat, if a patient codes a coworker calls off sick, or may be they work alternating shift and have no routine meal schedule. A recent study supported the federal agency for healthcare research and quality showed that nurses routinely miss meals to care for patient. (Kathleen Meyer, 2009). The etiology of obesity involves complex interplay between genetics and environmental or lifestyle factors, Eating practices associated with the global obesity epidemic include increased consumption of energy dense but nutrient poor food, low consumption of dairy products, fruits and vegetables, skipping breakfast and insufficient physical activity. These trends have been associated with the high prevalence of obesity amongst older nurses, particularly nursing living in urban areas. The studies have shown that counseling intervention are effective in reducing risk and burden of disease in adults with hyperlipidemia and other risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Since the pubic views primary care providers as valuable sources of nutritional guidance and lifestyle advice to prevent and treat, health care professionals play a key role in this regard through patient education. However, studies identify significant barrier which prevent health care professional from offering dietary support. These include lack of time, of teaching materials of nutritional knowledge and of confidence on the part of the provider. Moreover, it seems from a recent systematic review, that health care professionals are more likely to discuss weight, diet and life style issues with their patient and use strategies to prevent obesity, malnutrition in patient and themselves have a normal BMI. (Vandenberg, V.L., Okeyo, AP, Dannhauser, A., & Nel, M., 2012).

Biography

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