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Comparative Standards

Reference criteria (e.g., DRIs, ideal body weight, BMI cutoffs) against which assessment data are compared to identify nutrition problems.

Comparative standards are embedded in the NCPT and provide the benchmark for interpreting assessment data. They include population-level standards (DRIs, dietary guidelines), individual targets (estimated energy requirement, ideal body weight), and disease-specific norms (KDOQI for CKD, ADA for diabetes). They also anchor monitoring and evaluation by defining the goals the intervention is trying to reach.

How one textbook covers it

  • Krause and Mahan's Food and the Nutrition Care Process, 16th ed. — Chapter 4

    Comparative standards are embedded in the NCPT and provide the benchmark for interpreting assessment data. They include population-level standards (DRIs, dietary guidelines), individual targets (estimated energy requirement, ideal body weight), and disease-specific norms (KDOQI for CKD, ADA for diabetes). They also anchor monitoring and evaluation by defining the goals the intervention is trying to reach.

Related terms

Dietary Reference Intakes, Monitoring and Evaluation, Nutrition Assessment