Pediatric nutritional assessment

Nutritional assessment is an important facet of the medical care of infants and children. An accurate assessment allows for the early detection and treatment of nutrient deficiencies. The traditional nutritional assessment includes anthropometric measurements, biochemical evaluation, clinical examination, and dietary evaluation. Newer techniques include the assessment of body composition using total body electrical conductivity or bioelectrical impedance. The sophistication of nutritional support makes it necessary to identify more sensitive methods for accurate nutritional assessment.