The nurse is assessing the body weight as a percentage of ideal body weight on an adolescent patient who was admitted for suspected anorexia nervosa. The patient's usual weight was 125 pounds, but today she weighs 98 pounds. After calculating the patient's ideal body weight, what should the nurse conclude?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

By dividing her current weight by her usual weight and then multiplying by 100, a percentage of 78.4% is obtained, which means that her current weight is 78.4% of her ideal body weight. A current weight of 80% to 90% of ideal weight suggests mild malnutrition; a current weight of 70% to 80% of ideal weight suggests moderate malnutrition; a current weight of less than 70% of ideal weight suggests severe malnutrition.

The Nurse Is Assessing the Body Weight as a Percentage