Assessment of Nutritional Status

Ms. Samra faisal is a Senior Lecturer and Clinical Dietitian with extensive experience in nutrition science, medical nutrition therapy, and higher education with combines academic expertise in hands-on clinical practice, teaching undergraduate students while delivering evidence-based nutrition care to patients with diverse and complex health conditions. Committed to advancing dietetics through education, research, and interdisciplinary collaboration, she is dedicated to developing competent healthcare professionals and improving patient outcomes through practical, science-driven nutrition interventions.

No Certificate / Course on Audit Track

About Course

This course provides an introduction to the assessment of nutritional status using key anthropometric, biochemical, clinical, and dietary assessment methods. It covers the interpretation of biochemical parameters and clinical indicators used to identify nutritional concerns. Learners will explore practical dietary assessment techniques, including the 24-hour dietary recall and Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ). The course develops foundational skills for collecting, interpreting, and applying nutritional assessment information in clinical and community settings.

Authorship and Attribution

This course has been curated by Riphah International University faculty and staff using publicly available third-party content and Open Educational Resources (OER) for self-paced learning. Learners will engage with curated open-access materials to achieve the course learning outcomes. All third-party content is used under open-access or fair-use policies, while any original materials are developed specifically for this learning experience.

Source and Credits:

Instructor: NPTEL IIT Bombay
Provider: YouTube (@IITBombayJuly)
License: Standard YouTube license

What You'll Learn

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

Explain the concepts and importance of nutritional assessment
Perform anthropometric measurements accurately
Interpret growth charts, BMI, MUAC, and body composition data
Analyze biochemical and clinical indicators of nutritional status

Prerequisites

To be successful in this course, prior familiarity with basic nutrition and human biology concepts is required. Learners should have a foundational understanding of nutrients, balanced diets, human physiology, and common nutritional disorders. Basic knowledge of health assessment and clinical measurements is also recommended, as the course involves anthropometric, biochemical, clinical, and dietary methods for assessing nutritional status.

Who Can Take This Course?

This course is intended for graduate students, advanced undergraduates, healthcare professionals, and nutrition practitioners who want a practical, evidence-based introduction to the assessment of nutritional status. It is especially well suited for learners who already have a basic understanding of nutrition and human health and now want to develop the skills needed to assess, interpret, and evaluate nutritional status using anthropometric, biochemical, clinical, and dietary methods. Professionals in nutrition, dietetics, nursing, medicine, public health, and community health will benefit from the course’s practical approach and its emphasis on applying nutritional assessment techniques in clinical and community settings.

Course Outline

Module 1: Introduction to Nutritional Assessment

Concept of Nutritional Status

Nutritional Status Assessment – Overview (Video)

Module 2: Biochemical and Clinical Assessment

Biochemical Assessment Methods

Biochemical Parameters and Their Clinical Interpretation (Video)

Module 3: Dietary Assessment Methods

24-Hour Dietary Recall

Conducting and Interpreting a 24-Hour Dietary Recall (Video)

Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ)

Application of the Food Frequency Questionnaire (Video)

Skills You Will Gain

Nutritional Status Assessment Biochemical Parameter Interpretation Clinical Assessment Methods Dietary Recall Techniques Food Frequency Questionnaires Nutritional Data Collection Dietary Intake Analysis Assessment Result Interpretation

Course Information

Duration

Approximately 2 Hours

Difficulty Level

Advanced

Learning Mode

Fully Online (Asynchronous)

Learning Type

Self Paced

Language

English Only