Question

A female patient who is being treated for self-inflicted wounds tells the nurse that she is anorexic. What criteria would alert the health care worker to her nutritional risk?

a. BMI (Body Mass Index) of 25
b. BMI below 18.5
c. BMI of 30
d. BMI above 20

Answer 1

A health care worker would be alerted to a nutritional risk for a patient claiming to be anorexic by a body mass index (BMI) below 18.5, which indicates that the individual is underweight and potentially undernourished.

Step-by-step explanation:

The criteria that would alert a health care worker to a nutritional risk in the context described—where a female patient reports being anorexic—is a body mass index (BMI) below 18.5. An adult is considered underweight if their BMI is less than 18.5 kg/m². In the case of a person with anorexia nervosa, a BMI well below the normal range can be indicative of undernutrition, which can lead to serious health consequences such as bone loss, heart failure, kidney failure, and in severe cases, death.

From the options provided, a BMI below 18.5 (option b) would be the indicator of nutritional risk related to conditions like anorexia. A BMI of 25 would be considered overweight, BMI of 30 or higher would be considered obese, and a BMI above 20 would still fall within the normal range. To address nutritional concerns, adopting a balanced diet and seeking professional medical and psychological support would be essential steps for someone suffering from anorexia nervosa.