Determination of Nutritional Assessment and Dietary Management for Various Diseases among Patients in Pakistan
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.57125/FEM.2025.03.30.04Keywords:
dietary guidelines, food consumption patterns, non-communicable diseases, nutrient reference valuesAbstract
Background: Adequate nutrient intake plays a crucial role in strengthening the immune system and preventing the development of various diseases. Malnutrition, whether due to deficiency or excess, can significantly impair health and contribute to the progression of chronic conditions.
Objective: To carry out a nutritional assessment based on standard classifications (Types A, B, C and D), and to examine dietary management approaches aimed at addressing malnutrition in patients with various health conditions.
Methods: An observational hospital-based study was conducted involving both male and female patients. Physical assessments were performed daily, and data were recorded using screening forms provided by the hospital. The focus was on determining nutritional status and identifying related disorders.
Results: Among the assessed patients, the prevalence of major disorders included diabetes mellitus (45%), cardiovascular diseases (17%), coeliac disease (17%), obesity in males (10%), underweight status (8%), and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) (3%). Nutritional deficiencies were identified as contributing factors to the onset and progression of these conditions, largely due to limited awareness regarding the importance of adequate nutrition.
Conclusion: Malnutrition remains a pressing concern among patients, primarily due to poor hygiene, poverty, inadequate knowledge of healthy living practices, improper domestic waste management, and frequent consumption of inadequately prepared meals. These factors collectively deteriorate patients’ physical health and underscore the necessity for comprehensive public health education and nutritional interventions.
References
Mensah GA, Brown DW. An overview of cardiovascular disease burden in the United States. Health Aff (Millwood). 2007 Jan-Feb;26(1):38–48. doi:10.1377/hlthaff.26.1.38. PMID: 17211012.
Yusuf S, Hawken S, Ounpuu S, Dans T, Avezum A, Lanas F, et al. Effect of potentially modifiable risk factors associated with myocardial infarction in 52 countries (the INTERHEART study): case-control study. Lancet. 2004;364:937. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(04)17018-9. PMID: 15364185.
World Health Organization (WHO). Non-communicable diseases country profiles. Geneva: WHO; 2018 [Internet]. [cited 2025 Feb 15]. Available from: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/ncd-country-profiles-2018
UNICEF. Programming guide: Infant and young child feeding. New York: Nutrition Section, United Nations Children's Fund; 2011 [Internet]. [cited 2025 Feb 15]. Available from: https://data.unicef.org/topic/nutrition/infant-and-young-child-feeding
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA); United States Department of Health and Human Services (USDOHHS). Dietary guidelines for Americans 2010 [Internet]. [cited 2025 Feb 15]. Available from: https://odphp.health.gov/sites/default/files/2020-01/DietaryGuidelines2010
World Health Organization (WHO). Child growth standards. Geneva: Department of Nutrition for Health and Development, WHO; 2006 [Internet]. [cited 2025 Feb 15]. Available from: https://www.who.int/tools/child-growth-standards
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Food balance sheets [Internet]. [cited 2025 Feb 15]. Available from: https://openknowledge.fao.org/server/api/core/bitstreams/56494b81d25a4b2999f0823d2ed5a186/content
Malik S, Nazli H, Whitney E. Food consumption patterns and implications for poverty reduction in Pakistan. Pak Dev Rev. 2015;54(4, Part II):651–70 [Internet]. [cited 2025 Feb 15]. Available from: https://file.pide.org.pk/pdf/PDR/2015/Volume4/651-670.pdf
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). The state of food insecurity in the world 2018 [Internet]. [cited 2025 Feb 15]. Available from: https://openknowledge.fao.org/server/api/core/bitstreams/f5019ab40f6a47e885b915473c012d6a/content
World Health Organization (WHO). Diet, nutrition and prevention of chronic diseases. WHO Technical Report Series No. 916. Geneva: WHO; 2003 [Internet]. [cited 2025 Feb 15]. Available from: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/924120916X
World Health Organization (WHO). Nutrient requirements and dietary guidelines. Geneva: WHO; [Internet]. [cited 2025 Feb 15]. Available from: https://www.who.int/publications/i/nutrition
American Diabetes Association. Glycemic index and diabetes. 2014 [Internet]. [cited 2025 Feb 15]. Available from: https://www.scielosp.org/article/csc/2019.v24n3/997-1005/en
World Health Organization (WHO). Physical inactivity a leading cause of disease and disability, warns WHO. Geneva: WHO; 2002 Apr 4 [Internet]. [cited 2025 Feb 15]. Available from: https://www.who.int/news/item/04-04-2002-physical-inactivity-a-leading-cause-of-disease-and-disability-warns-who
World Health Organization, Ministry of Health, Government of Pakistan, Heartfile. National action plan for prevention and control of non-communicable diseases and health promotion in Pakistan [Internet]. Islamabad: WHO; 2004 [cited 2025 Feb 15]. Available from: https://www.heartfile.org/pdf/NAPmain
Government of Pakistan. Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey 2012–2013 [Internet]. Islamabad: National Institute of Population Studies; 2013 [cited 2025 Feb 15]. Available from: https://dhsprogram.com/pubs/pdf/fr290/fr290.pdf
Trumbo P, Schlicker S, Yates AA, Poos M. Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy, Carbohydrate, Fiber, Fat, Fatty Acids, Cholesterol, Protein and Amino Acids. J Am Diet Assoc [Internet]. 2002 Nov [cited 2025 Feb 15];102(11):1621–30. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/s0002-8223(02)90346-9
United Nations System Standing Committee on Nutrition (UNSCN). Sustainable diets for healthy people and a healthy planet [Internet]. 2017 [cited 2025 Feb 15]. Available from: https://www.unsch.org/uploads/web/news/document/Climate-Nutrition%20Faper-EN-WEB.pdf
Ministry of Planning, Development and Reform; Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination, Government of Pakistan. National Nutrition Survey 2011 [Internet]. [cited 2025 Feb 15]. Available from: https://pndajk.gov.pk/uploadfiles/downloads/NNS%20Survey
Jesmin A, Yamamoto SS, Mallik AA, Haque MA. Prevalence and determinants of chronic malnutrition among preschool children: A cross sectional study in Dhaka City, Bangladesh. Health Popul Nutr. 2011;29(5):494–5. doi:10.3329/jhpn.v29i5.8903. PMID: 22106755; PMCID: PMC3225111.
Jamison DT, Feachem RG, Makgoba MW, Bos ER, Baingana FK, Hofman KJ, Rogo KO. Disease and mortality in Sub-Saharan Africa. 2nd ed. Washington (DC): World Bank; 2006 [Internet]. [cited 2025 Feb 15]. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21290641
Tharakan CT, Suchindran CM. Determinants of child malnutrition – an intervention model for Botswana. Nutr Res [Internet]. 1999 [cited 2025 Feb 15];19:843–60. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0271-5317(99)00045-7
Khan AA, Band N, Salma A. Child malnutrition in South Asia: a comparative perspective. South Asian Survey [Internet]. 2007 [cited 2025 Feb 15];4:129–45. Available from: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/097152310701400110
World Bank. Repositioning nutrition as central to development: a strategy for large scale action [Internet]. Washington (DC): World Bank; 2006 [cited 2025 Feb 15]. Available from: http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/185651468175733998
American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR). Cancer preventability estimates [Internet]. [cited 2025 Feb 15]. Available from: http://www.aicr.org/research
Brouwer IA. Effects of transfatty acid intake on blood lipids and lipoproteins: a systematic review and meta-regression analysis [Internet]. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2016 [cited 2025 Feb 15]. Available from: https://iris.who.int/bitstream/handle/10665/246109/9789241510608-eng.pdf
Basit A, Fawwad A, Qureshi H, Shera AS; NDSP Members. Prevalence of diabetes, pre-diabetes and associated risk factors – second National Diabetes Survey of Pakistan (NDSP), 2016–2017. BMJ Open [Internet]. 2018 Aug 5 [cited 2025 Feb 15];8(8). Available from: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2017-020961corr1. PMID: 30082350; PMCID: PMC6078264.
Shrimpton R, Victora CG, de Onis M, Lima RC, Blössner M, Clugston G. Worldwide timing of growth faltering: implications for nutritional interventions. Pediatrics [Internet]. 2001 May [cited 2025 Feb 15];107(5):875. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.107.5.e75. PMID: 11331725.
Khan PA, Qazi SA, Rehman GN. Control of ARI in Pakistan – present status and future development. In: Rhan MA, Qazi SA, Peerperkorn R, Ban A, editors. ARI national programme for the control of acute respiratory infections in Pakistan [Internet]. Islamabad: Federal ARI Cell, Ministry of Health, Government of Pakistan; 1990 [cited 2025 Feb 15]. p. 32. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15279753
Saleemi MA, Zaman S, Akhtar HZ, Jalil F, Ashraf N, Hanson LA, Mellander L. Feeding patterns, diarrhoeal illnesses and linear growth in 0–24 month-old children. J Trop Pediatr [Internet]. 2004 [cited 2025 Feb 15];50:164–9. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1093/tropej/50.3.164. PMID: 15233193.
Musaiger AO, D'Souza R. Anthropometric characteristics of Pakistani school children living in Bahrain. J Immigr Minor Health [Internet]. 2009 [cited 2025 Feb 15];11:205. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-008-9166-y
Mushtaq MU, Gull S, Khurshid U, Shahid U, Shad MA, Siddiqui AM. Prevalence and socio-demographic correlates of stunting and thinness among Pakistani primary school children. BMC Public Health [Internet]. 2011 [cited 2025 Feb 15];11:790–800. Available from: https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1471-2458-11-790
Paracha PI, Bakht S, Paracha SI, Vriesekoop F, Khattak IA, Zia ud Din, Niamatullah. Nutritional status, dietary practices and physical activities of adolescents in public and private schools of Karachi, Pakistan. Obes Res Open J [Internet]. 2016 [cited 2025 Feb 15];3:30–9. Available from: https://doi.org/10.17140/OROJ-3-130. PMID: 18607727.
Aziz S, Umme-e-Rubab, Noorulain W, Majid R, Hosain K, Siddiqui IA, Manzoor S. Dietary patterns, height, weight centile and BMI of affluent school children and adolescents from three major cities of Pakistan. J Coll Physicians Surg Pak [Internet]. 2010 [cited 2025 Feb 15];20:10–6. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20141686/
World Health Organization (WHO). Nutrition in adolescence: issues in adolescent health and development [Internet]. Geneva: WHO; 2005 [cited 2025 Feb 15]. Available from: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9241593660
Spear BA. Adolescent growth and development. J Am Diet Assoc [Internet]. 2002 [cited 2025 Feb 15];102(3):23–9. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/s0002-8223(02)90418-9. PMID: 11902385.
Aziz S, Noor-ul-Ain W, Majeed R, Khan MA, Qayum I, Ahmed I, Hosain K. Growth centile charts (anthropometric measurement) of Pakistani pediatric population. J Pak Med Assoc [Internet]. 2012 [cited 2025 Feb 15];62:367–77. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22755283/
Hakeem SA. Assessment of linear growth of affluent urban Pakistani adolescents to CDC 2000 references. Ann Hum Biol [Internet]. 2004 [cited 2025 Feb 15];31:282–91. Available from: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/03014460410001720375
Paracha PI, Waheed H, Paracha SI, Shahidullah, Bano SS. Cardiovascular diseases in relation to anthropometric, biochemical and dietary intake in women: a case control study. Obes Res Open J [Internet]. 2015 [cited 2025 Feb 15];2:32–8. Available from: https://doi.org/10.17140/OROJ-2-109
Jafar TH, Jafary FH, Jessani S, Chaturvedi N. Heart disease epidemic in Pakistan: women and men at equal risk. Am Heart J [Internet]. 2005 [cited 2025 Feb 15];150:221–6. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ahj.2004.09.025. PMID: 16086922.
World Health Organization (WHO). Salt reduction fact sheet [Internet]. [cited 2025 Feb 15]. Available from: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/salt-
World Bank. Pakistan GDP per capita [Internet]. [cited 2025 Feb 15]. Available from: http://www.tradingeconomics.com/pakistan/gdp-per-capita
Alam I, Larbi A, Pawelec G, Paracha PI. Relationship between anthropometric variables and nutrient intake in apparently healthy male elderly individuals: a study from Pakistan. Nutr J [Internet]. 2011 [cited 2025 Feb 15];10:111–9. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1186/1475-2891-10-111. PMID: 21992515; PMCID: PMC3207878.
Lowe NM, Ellahi B, Bano Q, Bangash SA, Mitra SR, Zaman M. Dietary calcium intake, vitamin D status, and bone health in postmenopausal women in rural Pakistan. J Health Popul Nutr [Internet]. 2011 [cited 2025 Feb 15];29:465–70. Available from: https://doi.org/10.3329/jhpn.v29i5.8900. PMID: 22106752; PMCID: PMC3225108.
Qureshi Z, Khan R. Diet intake trends among pregnant women in rural area of Rawalpindi, Pakistan. J Ayub Med Coll Abbottabad [Internet]. 2015 [cited 2025 Feb 15];27:684–8. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26721040/
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 authors

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
