Therapeutic Nutrition I

Nutrition Assessment

This course is specifically for dietetics students. This course examines nutrition assessment as part of the nutrition care process. Students learn through didactic and hands on methods how to conduct a nutrition assessment of the apparently healthy and sick individuals.

Interested in volunteering?

To help aspiring dietetics students learn and practice nutrition assessments we are always looking for healthy, adult volunteers to visit the lab. Volunteers will receive a nutrition assessment from dietetics students under the supervision of the course instructor (Dr. Shearrer). The assessments include:

To sign up please visit: https://bit.ly/FCSC4210 to fill out a screening questionnaire. If you qualify you will be redirected to signup for a specific date.

For more information please email Dr. Shearrer: gshearrer@uwyo.edu


Even more details

The assessments take place on Mondays and Wednesdays. Over the course of the semester, as the students learn more techniques, more measures are taken per assessment. The first two visits measure body fat and BMI only (9/12, 9/14). The next visits (9/21, 10/03, 10/05) measure body fat, BMI, and blood glucose, HbA1c, and urinalysis. The mid to end semester visits (10/12, 10/19, 10/24, 10/26, 11/23) measure body fat, BMI, blood glucose, urinalysis, as well as blood pressure and a nutrition physical exam. 

So, if you are interested in only BMI the earlier visits maybe better for you. If you want a nutrition physical exam the mid to end semester dates are best. 

You can opt into any assessments you like, you can also opt out of any assessments you do not want. We do ask that if you choose to cancel your appointment, please let us know 24 hours in advance. 

All assessments have an optional diet assessment. If you are interested in the diet assessment, we will ask that you fill out a 24-hour diet recall through NIH's automated self-administered 24-hour dietary assessment tool before your visit. That way we can go over your diet with you at your assessment visit. 

Nitty Gritty Details

Please note that all measures taken during the FCSC 4210 lab are NOT CLINICAL VALUES. If we detect an abnormal or potentially important finding we will suggest that you follow up with your primary care provider. If you do not have a primary care provider, Dr. Shearrer can help you get in touch with one. 

Similarly, the lack of a clinically important lab value does not mean that you may not be at risk of developing an illness. If you are concerned that you may have diabetes or other nutrition related disease we strongly recommend that you visit a primary care provider. 

Potential risks 

The clinical assessment visit is very similar to a routine primary care visit. As such, the risks to your health are minimal. The primary risks you may experience follow.

Embarrassment 

Having your body fat and BMI measured can feel embarrassing. The students' performing the measurements are trained to be professional at all times. Your measurements will never, ever be shared with anyone. If you feel embarrassed at anytime please let Dr. Shearrer know.

Finger stick

To measure blood glucose and HbA1c, we need to perform a finger stick. To do this, we use a small, single use lancet. If you or someone you know checks their blood sugar you may have seem them prick their finger with a single use lancet. We will clean your finger with an alcohol swab and wear gloves for the entire process. After we test your blood we will bandage your finger. As with any small cut, there is a risk of the cut becoming infected. To minimize this risk we recommend keeping the prick site clean and bandaged after the visit. You may also experience a small bruise at the site of the finger stick. Again, we use sterile technique includes sterile and/or disposable equipment (e.g., blood collection apparatus) and adherence to standard medical precautions.

Loss of confidentiality

This visit is confidential. Your data will not be shared with anyone outside the FCSC 4210 Fall 2022 class. Your name or identifying information will never be connected with your data. There is a small risk that our computer could be hacked. We only use the University of Wyoming's secure wifi, and all iPads and computers are password protected. All data is collected using the University of Wyoming's Qualtrics subscription and requires passwords. We do not anticipate a loss of confidentiality.