RD - Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) Practice Test

What is the first step in the Nutrition Care Process?

1. Nutrition screening

2. Nutrition intervention

3. Nutrition assessment

4. Nutrition diagnosis

The correct answer is: Nutrition assessment

The first step in the Nutrition Care Process is nutrition assessment. This step involves the systematic collection and analysis of a patient's dietary, medical, and lifestyle information to evaluate their nutritional status. During the assessment, registered dietitian nutritionists evaluate various aspects of an individual's intake, anthropometric measurements, biochemical data, and clinical observations. This critical process helps to identify strengths and weaknesses in a person's nutritional habits and overall health, forming the foundation for subsequent steps in the Nutrition Care Process. By establishing a comprehensive understanding of the individual's needs, the registered dietitian can better tailor interventions and diagnoses to ensure effective and personalized nutrition-related strategies. In contrast, nutrition screening is typically an initial, brief evaluation aimed at identifying those who may require a more detailed assessment. Nutrition intervention involves the implementation of specific strategies based on the findings from the assessment, while nutrition diagnosis is the identification of nutritional problems based on the assessment data. Each of these subsequent steps relies heavily on the thoroughness and accuracy of the initial assessment phase.