Description

Screening tools for nutritional status and growth are short, simple questionnaires or scales used by healthcare professionals to assess nutritional status and developmental risk. They may include factors such as:
Dietary Habits: Food intake and meal frequency.
History of Body Weight and Growth: Evaluation of changes in weight and height over time.
Physical Measurements: Indicators such as Weight-for-Height, Height-for-Age, and Body Mass Index (BMI).
Medical History: Presence of chronic illnesses or conditions that may affect nutritional status.
Psychosocial Factors: Elements such as family situation, level of care, and financial conditions.

Analysis

The analysis of screening tool results includes:
Risk Categorization: Individuals are classified into risk groups (e.g., low, moderate, high) based on responses and measurements.
Identification of Intervention Needs: Evaluation of data to determine the need for nutritional interventions or further assessment by specialists.
Continuous Monitoring: Results are used for ongoing monitoring of growth and nutritional status, adjusting interventions as needed.

Objective

The main objectives of screening tools are:
Prevention of Malnutrition and Overnutrition: Early identification of children at risk for nutritional disorders.
Improvement of Developmental Health: Ensuring proper growth through timely nutritional interventions.
Support for Public Health Strategies: Providing data for the formulation of public health policies and programs aimed at improving children’s nutritional health.

Scoring

The scoring of screening tools includes:
Outcome Evaluation: Each response is scored and summed to calculate an overall risk score.
Comparative Analysis: Scores are compared against reference standards to determine the level of risk.
Guidance for Interventions: Use of results to design appropriate interventions and support strategies.

References

Secker, D. J., & Jeejeebhoy, K. N. (2007). Subjective global nutritional assessment for children. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 85(4), 1083–1089.
Joosten, K. F. M., & Hulst, J. M. (2011). Nutritional screening tools for hospitalized children: Methodological considerations. Clinical Nutrition, 30(3), 302–308.
Mehta, N. M., & Duggan, C. P. (2009). Nutritional deficiencies during critical illness. Pediatric Clinics, 56(4), 1143–1160.
McCarthy, H., et al. (2012). Development and validation of the Screening Tool for the Assessment of Malnutrition in Pediatrics (STAMP). Clinical Nutrition, 31(6), 935–940.