Skip to ContentGo to accessibility page
OpenStax Logo
Nutrition for Nurses

Key Terms

Nutrition for NursesKey Terms

Key Terms

body mass index (BMI)
a tool using weight and height to screen and classify individuals as underweight, healthy weight, overweight, or obese
calories
the units used to measure the amount of energy needed or ingested daily
diet
the quantity and quality of food and drinks consumed
evidence-based practice (EBP)
using critically reviewed, scientifically proven evidence to deliver nursing care
food
edible substances made of protein, carbohydrates, fat, or other nutrients
food deserts
areas that lack access to affordable, healthy foods
food insecurity
limited or uncertain access to adequate and affordable nutritious foods because of social or economic factors
food literacy
the ability to understand labels and how to make good food choices
food security
having access to enough food for an active, healthy life
food swamps
areas that have stores that only sell calorie-dense, non-nutritive food
health literacy
how much a person obtains, processes, and understands basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions
integrative nutrition
combines medical nutritional therapy with functional medicine and other disciplines to provide education and guidance for a personalized diet based on whole foods and lifestyle recommendations
macronutrients
water and the energy-yielding nutrients (carbohydrates, fats, and proteins) needed in large amounts by the body
micronutrients
vitamins and minerals
MyPlate
a resource directed towards consumers, provides practical information for consumers to use daily to consume nutritious foods
nutrients
substances found in foods that can promote health and minimize illness
nutrition
the intake of food to meet the needs of the body
social determinants of health (SDOH)
nonmedical factors that affect individuals’ health
vulnerable population
a group of people whose health is negatively impacted by nonmedical factors
waist-to-hip ratio (WHR)
the ratio of waist-to-hip circumferences
wellness
the pursuit of activities, choices, and lifestyles leading to holistic health
PreviousNext
Order a print copy
Citation/Attribution
Reuse and redistribution of this content in digital or print format:
  • This book may not be used in the training of large language models or otherwise be ingested into large language models or generative AI offerings without OpenStax's prior written permission.
  • This book uses the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike License, which means that you can reuse and modify the material only for noncommercial purposes, must attribute OpenStax, and must distribute any derivative works under the same license.
  • Any commercial printing of this textbook, including using a local or custom printer, must be approved by OpenStax, and proper citation provided.
  • OpenStax-copyrighted images, activities, assessments, and similar components of this book are subject to the same licensing – CC-BY-NC-SA. They can be used for noncommercial purposes with attribution. Commercial use requires permission.
  • Permission requests: Anyone who intends to incorporate this content (including text, images, and other components) into large language models, use it in AI offerings, use it commercially (including in print), and/or has questions about another use case is welcome to complete our reuse request form.
Attribution information
  • If you are redistributing all or part of this book in a noncommercial print format, then you must include on every physical page the following attribution:

    Access for free at https://openstax.org/books/nutrition/pages/1-introduction

  • If you are redistributing all or part of this book in a noncommercial digital format, then for every page that includes OpenStax content, you must license the derivative work under the same CC-BY-NC-SA license as the original, and include on every digital page view the following attribution:

    Access for free at https://openstax.org/books/nutrition/pages/1-introduction

Citation information

The information below includes the information needed to generate citations in most major styles (APA, MLA, etc.); you must reformat and organize the information as needed to fit the requirements of the style. Use the information below to generate a citation. We recommend using a citation tool such as this one.

© Apr 23, 2026 OpenStax. Textbook content produced by OpenStax is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike License. The OpenStax name, OpenStax logo, OpenStax book covers, OpenStax CNX name, and OpenStax CNX logo, and Rice University name, and Rice University logo trademarks, or wordmarks are not subject to the Creative Commons license and may not be reproduced without the prior and express written consent of Rice University.