English for Dietetics: Essential Vocabulary & Phrases

"anthropometric measurement"

a systematic recording of physical body dimensions such as height, weight, skinfold thickness, and circumferences to assess nutritional status

"The dietitian performed anthropometric measurements including mid-arm circumference and triceps skinfold to monitor the patient's nutritional status."

"body mass index (BMI)"

a numerical value derived from a person's weight and height (kg/m²) used to classify underweight, healthy weight, overweight, and obesity

"A BMI above 30 kg/m² is classified as obesity and warrants a detailed dietary assessment and intervention plan."

"dietary recall"

a method of dietary assessment in which a patient reports all food and beverages consumed over the past 24 hours to estimate nutrient intake

"The 24-hour dietary recall revealed that the patient's calcium intake was well below the recommended daily allowance."

"malnutrition screening"

a standardised initial process used to identify patients who are malnourished or at risk of malnutrition, often using validated tools such as the MUST

"Malnutrition screening should be completed within 24 hours of hospital admission for all adult patients."

"serum albumin"

a blood protein produced by the liver that serves as a biochemical marker of nutritional status and protein synthesis capacity

"A serum albumin level below 35 g/L may indicate protein-energy malnutrition or an acute inflammatory response."

"food frequency questionnaire"

a dietary assessment tool asking patients how often they consume specific foods over a defined period, used to estimate habitual dietary patterns

"The food frequency questionnaire identified that the patient rarely consumed oily fish, suggesting a potential omega-3 deficiency."

"visceral protein"

proteins synthesised by the liver, such as albumin, prealbumin, and transferrin, that reflect protein stores and nutritional status

"Prealbumin, a visceral protein with a short half-life, is a sensitive marker for monitoring changes in nutritional status over days."

"skinfold caliper"

an instrument used to measure the thickness of subcutaneous fat at specific body sites to estimate total body fat percentage

"The clinical dietitian used a skinfold caliper at four standardised sites to estimate the patient's body composition."

"basal metabolic rate (BMR)"

the minimum amount of energy the body requires at complete rest to maintain basic physiological functions such as breathing and circulation

"The dietitian calculated the patient's basal metabolic rate using the Harris-Benedict equation before determining total daily energy requirements."

"glycaemic index (GI)"

a ranking of carbohydrate-containing foods based on their effect on blood glucose levels compared to a reference food such as pure glucose

"Patients with type 2 diabetes are advised to choose low glycaemic index foods to help maintain stable postprandial blood glucose levels."

"nitrogen balance"

the difference between dietary nitrogen intake and nitrogen excretion, used to assess whether a patient is in a state of protein anabolism or catabolism

"A negative nitrogen balance in the post-surgical patient indicated that protein intake needed to be increased to support wound healing."

"resting energy expenditure (REE)"

the amount of energy expended while at rest, measured by indirect calorimetry or predicted by validated equations, representing the largest component of total energy expenditure

"Indirect calorimetry was used to measure the patient's resting energy expenditure accurately before setting enteral feeding targets."

"lipogenesis"

the metabolic process by which excess carbohydrates and proteins are converted into fatty acids and stored as triglycerides in adipose tissue

"Chronic overfeeding promotes lipogenesis, contributing to the progressive accumulation of body fat observed in obesity."

"essential amino acid"

an amino acid that cannot be synthesised by the human body in adequate amounts and must therefore be obtained through dietary intake

"Leucine, an essential amino acid, plays a critical role in stimulating muscle protein synthesis after resistance exercise."

"thermic effect of food (TEF)"

the increase in metabolic rate above resting level following the ingestion, digestion, and absorption of food, accounting for approximately 10% of total energy expenditure

"Protein has the highest thermic effect of food, meaning a greater proportion of its calories are used during digestion compared to fat or carbohydrate."

"saturated fatty acid"

a type of fatty acid that contains no double bonds between carbon atoms, found primarily in animal products, and associated with elevated LDL cholesterol when consumed in excess

"Dietary guidelines recommend replacing saturated fatty acids with unsaturated fats to reduce cardiovascular disease risk."

"renal diet"

a therapeutic dietary plan for patients with kidney disease that restricts intake of potassium, phosphorus, sodium, and sometimes fluid and protein to reduce the kidneys' workload

"The renal diet prescribed for the dialysis patient limited potassium to 2,000 mg per day and phosphorus to 800 mg per day."

"carbohydrate counting"

a meal-planning strategy used primarily in diabetes management in which the patient tracks grams of carbohydrate consumed to match insulin doses and control blood glucose

"The dietitian taught the patient carbohydrate counting as a flexible approach to managing insulin-dependent type 1 diabetes."

"low-FODMAP diet"

a therapeutic dietary approach that restricts fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols to reduce gastrointestinal symptoms in conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome

"The patient's bloating and abdominal pain significantly improved after following the low-FODMAP diet for six weeks under dietetic supervision."

"dysphagia diet"

a modified-texture diet prescribed for patients with swallowing difficulties, graded according to the IDDSI framework to match the patient's safe swallowing ability

"Following the stroke, the speech and language therapist recommended a Level 4 dysphagia diet of pureed food to reduce aspiration risk."

"ketogenic diet"

a very high-fat, very low-carbohydrate dietary regimen that induces ketosis by restricting carbohydrate intake to typically below 50 g per day

"The ketogenic diet is used as a therapeutic intervention for drug-resistant epilepsy in children, with evidence supporting reduction in seizure frequency."

"coeliac disease management"

the lifelong dietary treatment of coeliac disease through strict elimination of gluten from all food sources, preventing intestinal damage and nutrient malabsorption

"Effective coeliac disease management requires patient education on hidden sources of gluten in processed foods, medications, and cross-contamination risks."

"nutrition support"

the provision of nutrients by oral, enteral, or parenteral routes to patients who cannot meet their nutritional needs through normal eating

"The multidisciplinary team agreed to initiate nutrition support via a nasogastric tube after the patient's oral intake remained inadequate for five consecutive days."

"indirect calorimetry"

a clinical measurement technique that estimates energy expenditure by measuring oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide production via expired air analysis

"Indirect calorimetry is considered the gold standard method for accurately measuring energy expenditure in critically ill patients."

"nasogastric tube (NGT)"

a thin plastic tube inserted through the nose, down the throat, and into the stomach to deliver liquid nutrition or medication to patients unable to swallow safely

"Nasogastric tube position was confirmed by pH testing and chest X-ray before commencing enteral feeding."

"percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG)"

a long-term enteral feeding tube placed directly through the abdominal wall into the stomach under endoscopic guidance for patients requiring prolonged nutritional support

"A percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy was inserted for the motor neurone disease patient who could no longer safely swallow sufficient food."

"total parenteral nutrition (TPN)"

the complete provision of all nutritional requirements intravenously via a central venous catheter, bypassing the gastrointestinal tract entirely

"Total parenteral nutrition was initiated for the patient with short bowel syndrome whose intestinal absorption was severely compromised."

"enteral formula"

a commercially prepared liquid nutritional product designed to be delivered via feeding tube, available in standard, high-protein, high-energy, and disease-specific formulations

"A high-protein enteral formula was selected for the post-operative patient to support tissue repair and meet elevated protein requirements."

"refeeding syndrome"

a potentially fatal metabolic complication that can occur when nutrition is reintroduced too rapidly after a period of starvation, causing dangerous shifts in electrolytes, particularly phosphate

"To prevent refeeding syndrome, enteral nutrition was introduced at a low rate of 10 kcal/kg/day with close monitoring of serum phosphate and potassium levels."

"peripheral parenteral nutrition (PPN)"

a form of intravenous nutritional support delivered through a peripheral vein rather than a central vein, suitable for short-term use with solutions of lower osmolarity

"Peripheral parenteral nutrition was used as a bridge while arrangements were made for central venous catheter insertion."

"continuous infusion"

a method of enteral or parenteral feeding in which the formula is delivered at a constant rate over a specified period, often 16 to 24 hours per day

"Continuous infusion of enteral feed at 60 mL/hour was prescribed to minimise gastric residuals and reduce aspiration risk in the ventilated patient."

"osmolarity"

the concentration of a solution expressed as osmoles of solute per litre, an important consideration in parenteral nutrition to avoid phlebitis when infusing through peripheral veins

"Solutions with an osmolarity exceeding 900 mOsm/L must be administered via a central venous catheter to prevent peripheral vein damage."

"micronutrient deficiency"

an inadequate intake or absorption of vitamins or minerals required in small amounts, leading to specific clinical conditions such as anaemia, scurvy, or rickets

"Iron-deficiency anaemia was diagnosed based on a combination of low haemoglobin, low serum ferritin, and a diet history confirming poor iron intake."

"bioavailability"

the proportion of a nutrient that is absorbed from the diet and used for normal physiological functions, influenced by food source, preparation method, and individual factors

"The bioavailability of non-haem iron from plant sources is lower than haem iron from meat but can be enhanced by consuming it with vitamin C."

"dietary reference value (DRV)"

a set of nutritional recommendations established by health authorities, including estimated average requirements and reference nutrient intakes, used in dietary planning and assessment

"The dietitian compared the patient's nutrient intakes against dietary reference values to identify gaps requiring supplementation."

"fat-soluble vitamin"

a vitamin that dissolves in fats and oils, stored in the body's fatty tissues and liver; includes vitamins A, D, E, and K

"Patients following very low-fat diets are at increased risk of fat-soluble vitamin deficiencies and may require supplementation of vitamins A, D, E, and K."

"folate supplementation"

the therapeutic or prophylactic administration of folic acid or folate to prevent or treat deficiency, particularly important during pregnancy to prevent neural tube defects

"Folate supplementation of 400 micrograms daily is recommended for all women planning a pregnancy and during the first trimester."

"antioxidant"

a substance, such as vitamins C and E or selenium, that inhibits oxidative damage to cells by neutralising free radicals, potentially reducing disease risk

"The dietitian emphasised increasing dietary antioxidant intake through fruits, vegetables, and nuts rather than high-dose supplement use."

"electrolyte imbalance"

an abnormality in the concentration of electrolytes such as sodium, potassium, or magnesium in the blood, which can impair normal physiological function

"The patient's electrolyte imbalance, characterised by hypokalaemia and hyponatraemia, required both dietary modification and intravenous electrolyte replacement."

"omega-3 fatty acid"

a type of polyunsaturated essential fatty acid found in oily fish and certain plant foods, associated with cardiovascular, anti-inflammatory, and neurological health benefits

"Omega-3 fatty acid supplementation with eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is recommended for patients with elevated triglycerides."

"nutrition care plan"

a written document created by a registered dietitian that outlines a patient's nutritional diagnosis, goals, dietary recommendations, and follow-up plan based on assessment findings

"The nutrition care plan was updated following the review appointment to reflect the patient's improved tolerance to oral diet and reduced dependence on enteral support."

"motivational interviewing"

a patient-centred counselling technique used by dietitians to explore and resolve ambivalence about dietary behaviour change, enhancing intrinsic motivation

"The dietitian used motivational interviewing to help the patient identify personal reasons for reducing sugar intake rather than simply issuing dietary restrictions."

"multidisciplinary team (MDT)"

a collaborative group of healthcare professionals from different disciplines, including dietitians, physicians, nurses, and therapists, who collectively manage patient care

"The dietitian presented the nutrition support plan at the weekly multidisciplinary team meeting to ensure all aspects of the patient's care were coordinated."

"SOAP note"

a structured clinical documentation format comprising Subjective, Objective, Assessment, and Plan sections used to record patient consultations consistently

"The dietitian completed a SOAP note after each outpatient consultation to maintain a clear record of assessment findings, nutritional diagnosis, and intervention."

"nutritional diagnosis"

a standardised statement identifying a specific nutrition problem using the NCP terminology format of Problem, Aetiology, and Signs/Symptoms (PES statement)

"The nutritional diagnosis was documented as "inadequate oral food and beverage intake related to chemotherapy-induced nausea as evidenced by a 15% weight loss over two months.""

"dietary adherence"

the degree to which a patient follows the dietary recommendations provided by their dietitian or healthcare team

"Poor dietary adherence to the low-sodium prescription was identified as the primary factor contributing to the patient's persistent hypertension."

"evidence-based practice"

a systematic approach to clinical decision-making in dietetics that integrates the best available research evidence with clinical expertise and patient values

"The dietitian referred to current evidence-based practice guidelines when devising a nutrition intervention for the patient with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease."

"food labelling"

the nutritional and ingredient information printed on packaged food products, including serving size, energy content, macronutrient breakdown, and allergen declarations

"The dietitian educated the patient on interpreting food labelling to identify hidden sources of sodium and added sugars in processed products."