NURS 202 Chapter Notes - Chapter 42: Digestion, Trans Fat
Document Summary
Nurses must have current, culturally sensitive nutritional knowledge to apply to the complexities of health care and illness as well as to the changing needs of diverse populations and demographics. A balanced diet featuring carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, and minerals provides the essential nutrients to carry out the body"s normal physiological functioning throughout the lifespan. Through digestion, food is broken down into its simplest form for absorption. Digestion and absorption occur mainly in the small intestine. Dietary reference intakes (dris) provide a range of values that address the needs of groups (estimated average requirement) and individuals (adequate intakes, recommended dietary allowances, and tolerable upper intake level). Guidelines for dietary change advocate reduced saturated and trans fat, reduced sodium, and reduced refined sugars, as well as an increased intake of complex carbohydrates and fibre. Nutritional screening helps to identify patients at risk of malnourishment. Because improper nutrition can affect all body systems, nutritional assessment includes total physical assessment.
