Assessing nutritional status in elderly patients.

The physician can incorporate nutritional assessment of the elderly patient into office practice by considering two questions. First, is the patient at nutritional risk due to disease, disability or medication? Second, is the patient at risk of disease and disability because of poor nutritional status? The four primary components of the nutritional assessment are summarized by the mnemonic ABCD, with A standing for anthropometric measurements such as height and weight; B for biochemical parameters such as the serum albumin level and the hemoglobin count; C for clinical evaluation, including an assessment of functional, social and mental status, the medical history and the physical examination, and D for dietary history, such as the use supplements and the adequacy of the diet.