Typical Diagnosis Typical Nutritional Concerns

Acquired Brain Injury

• Severe physical and cognitive fatigue (often exacerbated by poor nutrition)

• Poor appetite

• Loss of taste and smell

• Lack of enjoyment in food

• Forget to eat

• Impaired executive skills: difficulty with meal planning and preparation

• Severe weight loss

• Impulsive eating behaviours  

‍

Multiple orthopaedic injuries

• Severe weight gain due to decreased

• mobility and inactivity

• Multiple pain medications lead to chronic nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, etc. resulting in poor appetite  

• Decreased standing tolerance making it difficult to prepare meals  

PTSD, Depression,  Anxiety, increased stress due to injuries sustained and multiple life changes and losses

• Weight gain

• Emotional eating behaviours

• Lack of appetite  

‍

Dysphagia (Due to  ABI or physiological)

• Poor appetite, pain with swallow

• Severe weight loss

• Deficiencies

• Texture modifications

‍

Spinal Cord Injury

• Bowel issues

• Pressure ulcers

• Added vitamin and mineral requirements

• Severe weight gain

• Obesity can significantly impair the functional outcome for an individual with an SCI

• Cardiovascular risk is the leading cause of death for people with an SCI

‍

Diabetes (pre-existing or as a result of weight gain post-MVA)

• Uncontrolled due to busy rehab schedule, stress, changes in lifestyle  

Physical and cognitive fatigue  

• Poor nutrition leads to poor muscle growth and poor energy decreasing overall effectiveness of physiotherapy and other therapies  

‍

Fixed budget  

• A lot of clients are unable to work due to injuries and develop poor eating habits as a result of their financial restrictions  ‍

‍