الرحمن الله بسم الرحيم

Community Medicine Lecture -8-

Learning objectivesAt the end of this lecture student would be able to:

1-Outline the aims of diet therapy. 2-Determine principles of diet therapy.

3-Mention types of modifications in food pattern. 4-Discuss planning of diet therapy & dietary

assessment . 5-Enumerate the determinants of qualitative

assessment. 6-Identify food regimen characteristics .

7-Describe different types of diet consistency modifications.

8-Specify dietary considerations in diabetes & GIT diseases .

Diet Therapy

Aims of diet therapy:-1.To prevent or treat malnutrition .2.To control diet - related manifestations of disease .3.To delay progression of chronic disease .4.To provide support for other medical or surgical treatment .5.To play rehabilitative and palliative role e.g. maintaining or enhancing quality of life in terminally ill patients .6.Dietary advice is useful for health promotion , disease prevention , nutritional support and rehabilitation.

Principles of diet therapy:-

1.A nutrition - related problem must be present for which an accepted diet therapy exists.

2.Diet therapy must be based on a solid scientific rationale.

Ideally, documentation of the effectiveness of the therapeutic diet in ameliorating symptoms ,slowing progression, lessening secondary problems or offering other positive effects on function should be available.

3.Patient must be able and willing to eat and must have a functional gastrointestinal tract.

4.Patient must adhere to the diet.

Types of modifications in food pattern:-

2.Qualitative modifications or changes might required e.g. in congestive heart failure , sodium restricted diet.3.Changes in diet consistency e.g. liquid , soft & bland diet in certain GIT disorders.

1.Quantitative modifications in normal diet pattern(quantitative nutritional requirements) of individual may be altered as in febrile illnesses .

Planing diet therapy:-

Dietary assessment:-

Dietary assessment attempts to discover what is eaten.

It requires cataloging what the individual usually eats and the nutritional quality and adequacy of that pattern.

It helps in determining nutritional status, establishing or defining differential diagnosis and furnishing the background information on food intake and preferences that are needed for implementing diet therapy. Both dietary assessment and nutritional status assessment are needed to identify nutrition-related problems and plan therapeutic diets.

Determinants of qualitative assessment:- 1.Whether patient is currently eating and following a specific diet .If so , the number of meals per day , any use of nutritional supplement , special dietary preferences or dietary practices , or modifications that may influence nutritional status.

2.Whether there has been recent weight loss or gain.3.The physical state including chewing problems , dysphagia , diarrhea , ability to shop and cook & feed oneself.4.Social circumstances that may influence intake e.g. economic resources , social isolation and social support systems.

Food regimen characteristics 1.Diet should provide all essential nutrients.2.Food regimen should be patterned as much as possible after normal diet.3.Diet should be flexible (according to patients habit, preferences , economic status ,and religious rules).4.Diet should be adapted according to patient work and degree of exercise. 5.Food must be agreed with patient.6.Diet should emphasize natural ,commonly used foods that are readily available and easily prepared at home.

7.Prescribed food regimen must accompanied by clear simple explanation of purpose for both patient and family. 8.Except for cases adhered to for life maintenance diet, patients should be taken off special diets as soon as possible.

9.Diet regimen should be absolutely justifiable and defensible for patient & family.

Modifications in diet consistency

Usually a short term diet.Its purpose is to supply fluid and some energy in a form that requires minimal digestion after surgery , trauma , or in acute illness.It is used as initial feeding after surgery or intravenous feeding to relieve thirst and hydrate ,while minimizing the need to chew and GIT stimulation.Nutritionally , it is inadequate diet thus if to continue beyond 3-5 days , nutritional support is necessary. It produces few or no feces.

A.Clear liquid diet:

B. Full liquid diet:Foods that are liquid at body temperature.

Its purpose is to supply fluid & meet energy & other nutrients need . Usually higher in calories than clear liquid diet.It is used as transition between clear liquid and solid foods , after surgery and in acute illnesses ; in esophageal or stomach disorders with strictures or anatomical irregularity ; and for inability to chew or swallow solid foods.Nutritionally , it may be inadequate in niacin , folic acid and iron.

C. Soft diet:-

Its purpose is to provide food that can be swallowed with little or no chewing.

It is used for patients who are alert or acutely ill with difficulty in chewing /swallowing ,or who are too ill or weak to tolerate a usual diet.

Indicated in patients with head and neck surgery , those with esophageal stricture or poor dentition. Also useful in those with inflammatory ulcerations, neurological changes , or anatomic alterations.

Dietary considerations in diabetes

A*Dietary requirements differ according to:-

1.Severity of disease.

2.Type & extent of insulin therapy.

3.Exercise performed.

B*Patient’s weight and desirable weight.

Ideal weight is 10% lower than desirable weight specially in non-insulin dependant diabetes.

C*Patients require regular spacing of food intake to prevent intermittent periods of hypoglycemia specially insulin dependant diabetes.

Diet in GIT diseases:-

D*Nutritional requirements are greater in any growing child or those patients who are physically active persons.

I. Bland diet:-

It is that diet which has smooth and bland consistency or texture

It has a bland taste and considered chemically , physiologically and thermally non-irritating.

II.Low residue diet:-

It is that diet which leave a small or minimal amount of residue in lower intestinal tract after digestion and absorption have taken place proximally.It is desirable in conditions where the bulk of fecal material presents a strain , particularly after surgery involving lower intestine.It is used in preparation of patients for intestinal surgery.

Thank Youu