· Diet History – a comprehensive record of eating-related behaviours and foods a

person eat

Contents of Diet History of Adults:

1. ​Check appetite – good, poor, any factors that affect appetite, taste and

smell perception

2. ​Ask for allergies, intolerances or food avoidances – foods avoided and

reasons, length of time of avoidances

3.​ Anthropometry – ht, wt, skin-fold, etc.

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4.​ Take 24 hour dietary recall or food frequency checklist

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5. ​Consider ethnic and cultural background – eating habits and food

preferences and religion

= people eat the foods they grew up eating. Every country or every region of
a country, has its own typical foods and ways of combining them into meals.

= American diet or even Filipino diet includes many ethnic foods from diff
countries, all adding variety to the diet. Ex. Chinese, Italian, Korean,
Japanese.

=consider religion = for examples, some religious sect forgo meat during lent,
the period prior to easter.

=jewish law includes an extensive set of dietary rules that govern the use of
foods derived from animals.

= Muslims fast between sunrise and sunset during Ramadan.

= Food preference = spicy foods, sweetness of sugar and the savoriness of salt.
High fat foods. curry spices of Indian cuisine.

= Habits = choosing food out of habit = ex. Eating cereal every morning, bec they
always eat cereals for b-fast. Eating a familiar food makes them comfortable

6. ​Evaluate dental and oral health- problems w/ eating, foods that cannot

be eaten, problems w/ swallowing, salivation

7. ​Consider economic status –income, amount of money for food each

week or month.= people eat foods that are accessible, quick and easy to
prepare and w/ in their financial means.

8. ​Evaluate physical activity level – ​occupation​(type, hours/week,shift,

energy expenditure), ​Exercise​(type amount, frequency), ​Sleep ( hours/day

,uninterrupted?),​handicaps​.

9. ​Determine home life and meal patterns – Number in household (eat

together?), person who does shopping, person who does cooking, food storage
and cooking facilities (stove, refrigerator)type of housing (home, apartment,
room)

10. ​Assess gastrointestinal conditions – problems of heartburn, bloating,

diarrhea, vomiting,constipation, frequency of problems, antacid, laxative or

other drugs.

11. ​Consider presence of chronic disease – treatment, length of tx, dietary

modification including physician prescription, date of modification, education,

compliance w/ diet.

12. ​Evaluate recent weight change – loss or gain, how much, over what

length of time, intentional or non-volitional