Nutrition Assessment : Anthropometry and Diet 2022

Running head: NUTRITION ASSESSMENT: ANTHROPOMETRY AND DIET
NUTRITION ASSESSMENT: ANTHROPOMETRY AND DIET
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author note:

NUTRITION ASSESSMENT: ANTHROPOMETRY AND DIET1
Introduction
Nutrition assessment is the collective term given to a range of detailed screening and
evaluation methods which are used for the collection of objective and subjective data concerning
an individual’s lifestyle, food selection behaviors, dietary consumption and overall health status.
A nutrition assessment is one of the most basic yet effective methods of determining an
individual’s present health status and future risk of acquiring disease. One of the most prevalent
health conditions which necessitate the implementation of nutrition assessment as a key
evaluation method is obesity (Armenta, Díaz, Valencia & Quizán, 2015).
Obesity is a condition of abnormally excessive accumulation of adipose tissue within the
body as a result of increased energy consumption in comparison to energy expenditure.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO, 2018), approximately 39% of the global
population was estimated to be overweight in the year 2016, of which 13% have been reported to
be obese. The prevalence of obesity in the United States alone is alarmingly high, as estimated
by the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, 2018). to be 39.8% in the year 2016. If
not controlled, obesity paves the way for a host of metabolic abnormalities such as
hyperglycemia, hypertension and hypercholesterolemia which further results in diabetes,
cardiovascular diseases, renal disorders, cancers and thus reduced life expectancy. Obesity and
its associated metabolic complications not only yield high medical costs for healthcare
organizations but pose to be long term hindrance to the economy and productivity of a nation’s
population (Han & Lean, 2016).
While obesity can impact anybody irrespective of age, it may be more pronounced in the
youth and young adults studying in colleges and universities due to their high consumption of the

NUTRITION ASSESSMENT: ANTHROPOMETRY AND DIET2
added sugar, salt and saturated fat processed, convenient foods as a result of low levels of
awareness, academic and peer pressures, financial constraints and societal stereotypes (Han &
Lean, 2016). Additionally, as per global data on obesity prevalence, obesity may be more
pronounced in females (15 %) than in males (11%), thus indicating the presence of gender
differences (WHO, 2019). Lack of mitigation of obesity during adolescence and emerging
adulthood pave increase the risk of the chronic metabolic and life-threatening conditions which
may be pronounced as terminal illness during old age (Poobalan & Aucott, 2016). Thus the high
risk of obesity and poor nutritional and health status in young, university-going adults, especially
females, and their long term susceptibility to metabolic adversities during old age form the
rationale underlying this study of implementing nutritional assessment across a group of
university students.
The following paragraphs of the paper will aim to shed light on key components of a
nutrition assessment conducted across a group of university students. The preliminary sections of
the paper will extensively and elaborately discuss on the aims and hypothetical perspectives
underlying the study followed by a succinct discussion on the key anthropometric and dietary
assessments which were performed to obtain the required nutritional evaluation values. The
paper then succeeds to expound upon the acquired findings and recommend possible strategies
which can be implement by students for the purpose of achieving positive health outcomes.
Discussion
Aim, Objectives, Hypothesis
Aim: To explore the prevalence of gender differences and associated future risk of
chronic disease in anthropometric measurements, dietary consumption and nutrient intake data
across male and female university students.

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Proposed Hypothesis: Nutrition Assessment values such as anthropometric
measurements, dietary consumption and nutrient intake and their associated future chronic
disease risk demonstrate gender differences when examined across male and female university
students.
Thus, considering the above, the research was implemented based on the following
objectives:
1. To explore the prevalence of gender differences and associated future risk of chronic
disease in terms of anthropometric measurements across male and female university
students.
2. To explore the prevalence of gender differences and associated future risk of chronic
disease in terms of dietary consumption across male and female university students.
3. To explore the prevalence of gender differences and associated future risk of chronic
disease in terms of nutrient intake data across male and female university students.
Methods
The nutrition assessment was conducted across undergraduate and post graduate
university students (N = 163, from which males: n0 = 103, females: n1 = 60), studying in George
Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia across the Nutrition Department. Students were requested
for voluntary participation and interest candidates were informed regarding the objectives,
purpose and measurement particularities underlying the study. Considering the need to obtain
specific anthropometric data, participants were asked to adhere to clothing which was light, short
sleeved and well fitted at the waist.

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Demographic Information
Participants’ demographic information was assessed with the help of a face-to-face
interview, using a 15 item Demographic Questionnaire which assessed students based on their
employment status, race, gender, activity status and age. Informed consent was obtained from the
participants however and the interview was conducted in an isolated room with the researcher.
The data was tabulated in a spreadsheet software (Microsoft Excel).
24 hour Dietary Recall
Participants’ food consumption since the last 24 hours were collected with the help of a
24 hour dietary recall using the Multiple Pass Method developed by the United States
Department of Agriculture (USDA) (Cullen & Chen, 2017). The data was collected via a face-to-
face interview in an isolated room where the researcher asked the subject questions related to the
recall, such as the timing, recipes, preparation methods and amounts served, consumed and
prepared. To assist participants in understanding and recalling the type of foods consumed,
recipe forms were provided at the interview location. Additionally, to assist subjects in recalling
the specific amounts of foods they consumed, the USDA Food Models for Estimating Portions
was used (Fang, Liu, Zhu, Delp & Boushey, 2015). The nutrient values each diet were calculated
in a nutrition software (Nutritionist Pro) and the total results of participants were tabulated in
Excel.
Anthropometry
Participants’ anthropometrics were measured in terms of height, weight, waist
circumference, mid upper arm circumference (MUAC), hip circumference and skinfold
measurements like biceps, triceps, suprailiac and subscapular values. The measurements were
performed with the help of weighing scales, measuring tapes, skinfold calipers and pencils to

NUTRITION ASSESSMENT: ANTHROPOMETRY AND DIET5
mark the areas to be measured. The values were tabulated in Excel after calculating relevant
values pertaining to arm muscle area, percentage body fat, body density, energy expenditure and
body mass index via standardized formulas.
Results and Discussion
The results demonstrate gender differences across certain sections of anthropometrics,
food group consumption and nutrient intake (Appendices). In terms of BMI, it can be observed
that the distribution of females in normal (51 %) and overweight (25 %) categories are more as
compared to males (normal: 43 %, overweight: 23 %) whereas the distribution of males in obese
(21 %) and extreme obesity (4 %) BMI categories are more compared to females (Obese: 20%,
Extreme Obesity 3 %) (Appendix, Figure 2). Higher distribution of females in BMI categories
which are healthier than obesity, may be attributed to societal pressures directed upon females
regarding achievement and maintenance of a desired body shape and physical appearance
(Rayburn, Chen & Phillips, 2015). However, a high percentage of females in the overweight
category as compared to males is a cause for concern and is reflective of the female gender being
a key risk factor of overweight and obesity acquisition in individuals. Indeed, females are
genetically predisposed to possess lower lean muscle mass and basal metabolic rates and higher
fat as compared to males which raises their risk of adiposity and obesity. Female predisposition
to obesity, as reflected in the findings, must be addressed at the earliest, since the same serves as
a risk factor for breast cancer, osteoporosis and pregnancy complications like eclampsia
(Mitchell & Shaw, 2015).
Another notable anthropometric data demonstrated a high rate of gender differences were
in terms of waist circumferences where findings indicate the percentage of females possessing a
high risk waist circumference (42 %, >88 cm) were much larger in comparison to males (13.5 %,