What is the primary clinical purpose of a PES statement?

• A. To document patient satisfaction with meals.
• B. To calculate dietary energy requirements.
• C. To describe the nutrition problem, its cause, and supporting evidence to guide intervention.
• D. To record weight changes.

Answer: (C)

The main purpose of a PES statement is to clearly identify the nutrition problem, its cause, and the evidence supporting it, so the care team can plan targeted interventions. It describes the nutrition diagnosis in three parts: the nutrition problem (what is not going right), the etiology (why it is happening or what is contributing), and the signs and symptoms or evidence (data that confirm the problem). This structured format ensures everyone understands what needs to be addressed, why it’s happening, and what data show it, which directs the choice of intervention and helps monitor progress. Other options miss this diagnostic framing: documenting patient satisfaction relates to experience rather than a nutrition problem; calculating energy requirements is part of planning overall nutrition care but not diagnosing a problem; simply recording weight changes provides data, not the complete problem statement with its cause and supporting evidence.