Assignment | CLINICAL NUTRITION.

CLINICAL NUTRITION
CLINICAL NUTRITION
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author note:

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Part 1: The Diet
Criterion 1
The patient whose diet, disease and medication profile are to be evaluated here is 001: J.
W. It can be observed that J.W. has a busy work schedule where he is required to travel
frequently, leaving him little room to engage in healthy exercise or dietary choices. Such A
stressful schedule has resulted in his excessive consumption of high fat and high-calorie fast food
and thus his predisposition to acquire metabolic conditions like diabetes and hypertension. The
following paper will demonstrate J.W.'s nutrient intake in comparison to his RDA, the role of his
diet and pathophysiology and possible SMART goals and strategies which the nurse can
incorporate to mitigate the same.
Assuming that patient J.W.'s typical meal at a fast-food restaurant like Macdonald’s,
comprises of one quarter-pound beef patty burger with cheese, one medium pack of the outlet’s
signature French fries and the one medium sizes glass of a non-alcoholic, soda-based beverage
like Coca Cola. Calculating the nutritional information, the nutritional content of such a diet is as
follows (MacDonald's, 2019):

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Figure 1: Nutrient Values of a fast food meal in MacDonald’s (Source: MacDonald's.
(2019). McDonald's Nutrition Calculator | McDonald's. Retrieved 10 August 2019, from
https://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en-us/about-our-food/nutrition-calculator.html)
Considering that the patient is consuming this meal, 3 times every day, we may triple
these nutrient values highlighted in the above-mentioned diet. It can be assumed that patient J.W.
is consuming the following amount of proteins, calories, fats, and carbohydrates as per Table 1:
Table 1: Nutrient values assumed to be consumed by patient J.W. (Source: MacDonald's.
(2019). McDonald's Nutrition Calculator | McDonald's. Retrieved 10 August 2019, from
https://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en-us/about-our-food/nutrition-calculator.html.)
Nutrients Nutrient Values Identified
in Figure 1
The total nutrient calculation for
Figure 1 meal, consumed thrice a
day
Total Calories 1100 calories 1100* 3 = 3300 calories/day
Total Fat 44 grams 44* 3 = 132 grams of total fat/day
Carbohydrates 145 grams 145* 3 = 435 grams of
carbohydrates/day
Protein 35 grams 35* 3 = 105 grams of proteins/day

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As per the national nutrient values postulated by the United States Department of
Agriculture (USDA), the nutrient intake of an adult consuming a diet of 2000 calories must
consume the number of nutrients highlighted in Table 2 (United States Department of
Agriculture, 2019).
Table 2: RDA values of a 2000 calorie diet (Source: United States Department of
Agriculture. (2019). Nutrition and Your Health: DIETARY GUIDELINES FOR
AMERICANS. Retrieved 10 August 2019, from
https://health.gov/dietaryguidelines/dga2000/dietgd.pdf)
Nutrients RDA as per 2000 calorie diet
Total Fat 65 grams or less
Carbohydrates 300 grams or less
Protein 50 grams or less
Comparing the nutrient values of patient’s as well as the USDA recommended diets
highlighted in Table 1 and Table 2, it can be observed that not only is the patient J.W. consuming
a diet comprising of calories much higher than the standard recommendations, but his intake of
basic macronutrients like total fats, carbohydrates and proteins are grossly exceeding the
standard RDA values of the same.
Criterion 2
The micronutrients which will be emphasized upon in the case of the patient J.W. will
include Vitamin A, Vitamin C, calcium, iron and sodium. Taking insights from the nutrients
which were calculated from the diet which J.W. may consume three times a day (Figure 1), the

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following table J.W.’s intake of the above micronutrients for each meal and for his entire day
after ingesting such a meal three times a day (MacDonald's, 2019):
Table 3: Micronutrient values assumed to be consumed by patient J.W. (Source:
MacDonald's. (2019). McDonald's Nutrition Calculator | McDonald's. Retrieved 10 August
2019, from https://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en-us/about-our-food/nutrition-
calculator.html.)
Micronutrients Nutrient Values Identified
in Figure 1
The total calculation for Figure 1
meal, consumed thrice a day
Sodium 1405 mg 1405* 3 = 4215 mg/day
Calcium 207 mg 207*3 = 621 mg/day
Iron 5.5 mg 5.5*3 = 16.5 mg/day
Vitamin C 14 mg 14*3 = 42 mg/day
Vitamin A 1090 IU 3270 IU/day
RDA values of micronutrients for a 2000 calorie diet have been highlighted in the
following table (Table 4) (United States Department of Agriculture, 2019):
Table 4: RDA values of micronutrients a 2000 calorie diet (Source: United States
Department of Agriculture. (2019). Nutrition and Your Health: DIETARY GUIDELINES
FOR AMERICANS. Retrieved 10 August 2019, from
https://health.gov/dietaryguidelines/dga2000/dietgd.pdf.)
Nutrients RDA as per 2000 calorie diet
Sodium Less than 2400 mg
Calcium 1300 mg
Iron 18 mg
Vitamin C 2000 mg (based on USDA recommendations of
consuming 100% of % Daily values of a 2000
calorie diet)

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Vitamin A 2000 IU (based on USDA recommendations of
consuming 100% of % Daily values of a 2000
calorie diet)
Sodium: Sodium is an essential electrolyte and is prevalently present in the fluids of our
body. One of the major functions of sodium is to maintain an optimum level of blood pressure
and volume of blood. Additionally, sodium also plays a key role in the transmission of impulses
across the nervous system. Sodium is also to main osmotic pressure at the cellular level, that the
movements of fluids across the intracellular and the extracellular regions of the body’s cells and
tissues (O’Donnell, Mente & Yusuf, 2015). From the nutrient intake and RDA values identified
in Tables 3 and 4, it can be observed that Mr. J.W. is consuming excessive amounts of sodium,
grossly exceeding the RDA values of 2400 mg per day. Such an excessive consumption of
sodium increases patient J.W.’s risk of acquiring hypertension (as evident in the case study) and
cardiovascular diseases in the long run (Jackson et al., 2016).
Calcium: Calcium is responsible for maintaining the strength and density, as well as
repair of wear and tear of the bones comprising the skeletal system of the body and plays a key
role in preventing minor fractures and injuries during falls or accidents. Additionally, calcium is
also responsible for maintaining the structure of teeth as well as transmission of nerve impulses,
heart rate and balance of fluids at the cellular levels (Bolland et al., 2015). From the nutrient
intake RDA values postulated in Tables 3 and 4, it can be observed that J.W.'s daily intake of
calcium as per the specified diet is grossly deficient in comparison to the USDA RDA values of
1300 mg per day. This increases J.W.'s risk of acquiring fractures or bone-related diseases such
as osteoporosis in the future (Balk et al., 2017).