Whenever possible, a patient should be weighed on a beam scale with nondetachable weights.  The patient should be weighed while fasting, after voiding and without drainage bags and dressings.  If it is not possible to remove drainage bags and dressings, weigh them separately to deduct their weight.

Interpretation
Of the three means of evaluating body weight, the “percent usual weight” and the “percent of recent weight change” correlate best with ultimate morbidity and mortality in individual patients.  This is largely a result of the fact that many patients have a usual weight that is above their “ideal” weight for height.  For the most complete picture, the dietitian may wish to evaluate the patient from the standpoint of all three parameters.  For the dehydrated or edematous patient, the measured weight must be intuitively increased or decreased, respectively, before evaluation according to the methods below.

Manual of Clinical Nutrition Management                                                     
Copyright © 2008 Morrison Management Specialists, Inc.
All rights reserved.