What is the first step in the Nutrition Care Process?

• A. Nutrition assessment
• B. Goal setting
• C. Nutrition screening
• D. Nutrition diagnosis

Answer: (A)

The first thing to do in the Nutrition Care Process is gather and interpret information about the person’s nutrition status. This comprehensive nutrition assessment pulls together dietary intake, medical history, medications, anthropometrics, lab data, physical findings, and relevant social and environmental factors to understand what nutrition problems exist and what the priorities are. This data-driven understanding guides the rest of the process, including identifying the nutrition diagnosis, planning interventions, and monitoring progress. While nutrition screening is used to flag individuals who may need a full assessment, the actual first step in the NCP sequence is the comprehensive nutrition assessment.