Overall subjective assessment

Subjective Global Grading, abbreviated as GSV, is a fundamental tool in the field of health care and nutrition that is used to assess the nutritional status of patients.

This assessment provides a global, subjective view of an individual's health and nutritional status, and is valuable in both clinical settings and in the care of patients at various stages of life. In this session, we will explore in detail the Subjective Global Assessment and its importance in nutritional assessment.

Introduction to Subjective Global Assessment

The Subjective Global Assessment is a tool developed to obtain an overview of an individual's nutritional status, but without requiring extensive physical measurements or laboratory testing. This assessment is based on clinical observation, the patient's medical history and the patient's own perception of his or her health and nutritional status.

Objectives of the Subjective Global Assessment

To assess the risk of malnutrition: One of the main objectives of the VGS is to identify individuals at risk of malnutrition. This is crucial in clinical settings, where malnutrition can negatively affect patients' prognosis and recovery.

Planning nutritional care: VGS provides information that allows healthcare professionals to design personalized nutritional care plans. This includes recommending dietary changes, nutritional therapy or referral to nutrition specialists.

Monitor progress: VGS is also used to assess patients' progress in nutritional care over time. It allows to determine whether interventions are having a positive impact on nutritional status.

Components of the Subjective Global Rating

The VGS is based on the assessment of three key components:

• Medical history: Information is collected on unintentional weight loss, changes in appetite, gastrointestinal symptoms, and other medical problems that may affect food intake or nutritional status.

• Dietary assessment: Eating patterns, caloric intake, dietary variability and preference for certain foods are inquired. This helps to identify dietary deficiencies.

• Functional assessment: This considers the patient's ability to perform activities of daily living, such as mobility, self-care and the ability to shop and prepare food. Dependence on these activities may indicate nutritional problems.

Subjective Global Rating Score

The GSV is classified into three categories:

• Well-nourished: indicates no evidence of malnutrition or nutritional risk.

• Moderately malnourished or at nutritional risk: Indicates that there is some evidence of malnutrition or nutritional risk.

• Severely malnourished: Indicates a high risk of malnutrition or severe malnutrition. The score is assigned based on the information collected in the above components.

Importance of Subjective Global Rating in the Elderly

The VGS is particularly relevant in the elderly, as older people may be at increased risk of malnutrition due to physiological changes, chronic health problems, and social factors. Nutritional assessment is essential to prevent and address malnutrition in this vulnerable population group.