Introduction

Dietetics is the practical application of nutrition science. It involves assessing nutritional needs, planning suitable diets, counselling individuals, and adapting food choices for health, disease, age, lifestyle, or medical treatment. Therefore, diet planning and nutrition services—not clothing, decoration, or sports equipment—are its central concerns.

Nutritional assessment is a systematic process used to determine a person's nutrition status. It considers information such as dietary intake, body measurements, clinical signs and, when required, biochemical findings. It helps identify nutrient deficiencies, excesses or risks so that suitable dietary advice and care can be planned.

Anthropometric assessment uses measurements of the human body to evaluate growth, nutritional status and health risk. Height and weight are basic anthropometric measurements and can be used with age and other values to assess growth or calculate indicators such as body mass index. Therefore, option C is correct.

Protein provides amino acids needed to build, maintain and repair body tissues. It supports growth during childhood and adolescence, helps repair damaged cells, and contributes to enzymes, hormones, antibodies and other functional substances. Although protein can provide energy when necessary, growth and tissue repair are major functions, making option A correct.

Vitamins and minerals are micronutrients required in small amounts, but they are essential for regulating body processes, supporting immunity, maintaining bones and blood, and preventing deficiency diseases. They do not primarily supply energy like carbohydrates and fats. In school nutrition classification, they are therefore called protective nutrients, so B is correct.

Malnutrition is an abnormal nutritional condition caused by an inadequate, excessive or imbalanced intake of energy or nutrients. It includes undernutrition, micronutrient deficiencies and overnutrition, which may lead to problems such as poor growth, anaemia, obesity or illness. Therefore, option C gives the complete meaning.

Undernutrition occurs when the body receives less energy or fewer essential nutrients than it needs for maintenance, growth and normal functioning. It may result from inadequate food intake, poor absorption or increased requirements during illness. The prefix “under” indicates insufficiency, so option D is correct.

Overnutrition occurs when intake of energy or one or more nutrients regularly exceeds the body’s requirements. Persistent excess energy may contribute to overweight and obesity, while excessive amounts of particular nutrients can also be harmful. The term “over” means excess, so option A is the correct definition.

A diet history collects information about a person’s usual food intake and eating behaviour. It may ask what foods and drinks are consumed, their quantities, meal timing, preparation methods, snacks, supplements, allergies and food-related symptoms. This information helps assess nutrient intake and plan suitable advice, making option C correct.

Biochemical assessment measures substances and indicators in body samples to understand nutritional and health status. Common examples include blood tests for haemoglobin, glucose, proteins, electrolytes, vitamins or lipids, and urine tests for substances such as protein or glucose. Therefore, option D is correct; the other options are unrelated household or physical activities.

Diet counselling means providing a patient with accurate, practical, and individualized advice about food and eating habits. It may include guidance about suitable foods, portion size, meal timing, food restrictions, and methods of improving nutritional intake. Therefore, option B is correct because counselling is food-related education and advice, not a household, tailoring, or travel service.

Economic status is considered because a diet plan must be affordable, realistic, and sustainable for the patient and family. Nutritious meals can often be prepared using locally available and reasonably priced foods, so high cost is not a measure of quality. Option D is correct because effective nutrition advice must be practical and accessible.

Diet instructions should be communicated in simple, clear, respectful, and understandable language that matches the patient’s age, education, language background, and health condition. The patient should be able to explain the advice back or demonstrate how it will be followed. Unnecessary technical terms, frightening language, or unexplained foreign words can reduce understanding and adherence. Therefore, simple and understandable language is the most appropriate choice.

Clinical nutrition and dietetics explain how food and nutrients influence health, disease management, recovery, and overall patient care. Students learn to relate dietary needs to a person’s medical condition and to understand why diets may be modified. Therefore, option A correctly describes the subject.

Dietetics is the practical application of nutrition. It involves assessing a person’s needs, planning suitable meals, adapting food choices to health conditions and preferences, and counselling the person about implementation. It is therefore directly related to diet planning and counselling, making option A correct.

A clinical nutritionist studies the patient’s health condition, nutritional needs, medical restrictions, and eating habits, then helps plan suitable food and feeding advice. The nutritionist works with the healthcare team but does not perform surgery or manufacture medicines. Therefore, giving appropriate diet advice is the correct answer.

A normal or regular hospital diet may be given when a patient can eat normally and has no special medical restriction requiring a modified diet. Difficulty swallowing may require altered texture, a liquid diet may be prescribed for a specific condition, and tube feeding is used when oral intake is unsuitable. Thus, option B is correct.

Diet counselling is an educational and motivational process. It helps a patient understand suitable food choices, meal patterns, portion control, hygiene and other behaviours related to the medical condition. The aim is to support practical adherence and improve health, not to create fear, hide food or impose unnecessary fasting. Therefore, option B is correct.

Small, frequent meals are generally more acceptable when a patient has a poor appetite. They reduce the pressure of eating a large quantity at one time and can help the patient obtain energy and nutrients gradually. Meals should still be planned according to the patient’s disease, tolerance, and medical advice.

Biochemical tests analyse blood, urine, or other body samples to provide objective information about the body's internal nutritional condition. They may help identify deficiencies, excesses, or changes in nutrient metabolism that cannot be judged only by appearance or dietary history. Therefore, option A is correct. Such results should be interpreted with clinical signs, anthropometric measurements, and the person's diet.