NANDA-I 2024-2026 edition · Reviewed November 2, 2026 by the editorial team
Diagnosis at a glance
| Code | 00343 |
|---|---|
| Label | Inadequate nutritional intake |
| Before (2021-2023) | Former code 00002 |
| Spanish label | Ingesta nutricional inadecuada |
| Domain | 2. Nutrition |
| Class | 1. Ingestion |
| Type | Problem-focused |
| Status | Current |
What changed in 2024-2026
The label changed from "Imbalanced nutrition: less than body requirements" to "Inadequate nutritional intake," and the code from 00002 to 00343. The 2024-2026 edition also includes more specific diagnoses, such as Inadequate protein energy nutritional intake (00359). If your materials are from the previous edition, you will see 00002; for new work, use 00343.
What it means
The patient does not eat enough to cover what their body uses and needs to maintain itself, heal or grow. It shows in what they leave on the plate, in the weight they lose and, over time, in their strength and wound healing.
Explanation written by our team. The official definition is in the NANDA-I 2024-2026 book.
When to use it
Clinical situations where it commonly shows up. The diagnosis is confirmed by your assessment, not by the medical diagnosis.
- Pancreatitis, abdominal surgery or prolonged NPO status, when oral intake is restarted.
- Cancer and treatments that suppress appetite or cause nausea and mouth sores.
- Older adults who eat little because of poor appetite, dental problems or loneliness.
- Pneumonia, COPD or heart failure, with dyspnea while eating or early satiety.
- Diabetes with misunderstood restrictions that lead the patient to eat very little.
- Financial hardship or limited access to food.
What to assess
- Current weight, usual weight and percentage lost: more than 5% in one month or 10% in six months is significant.
- Body mass index; in adults over 70, below 22 kg/m² is already considered low.
- What percentage of each meal is eaten: all, three quarters, half or less.
- Screening with a validated tool: MNA in older adults or NRS-2002 in hospitalized patients.
- Barriers to eating: nausea, pain, dyspnea, trouble chewing or swallowing, poor appetite.
- Calf or mid-arm circumference and visible muscle wasting.
- Albumin, prealbumin, lymphocytes and hemoglobin as supporting data, never on their own to diagnose.
- Food preferences, meal times, financial resources and who prepares the food.
Defining characteristics
Assessment findings that support the diagnosis. They go in the "as evidenced by" part of the statement.
- Unintentional weight loss of more than 5% in one month.
- Eats less than half of meals for three days or more.
- BMI below 18.5 kg/m², or below 22 kg/m² in adults over 70.
- Reports poor appetite or feeling full after a few bites.
- Loose-fitting clothes and visible muscle wasting in the arms, temples or calves.
- Calf circumference under 31 cm.
- Weakness when getting up or reduced grip strength.
- Slow-healing wounds.
- Dry skin and brittle hair or hair that falls out easily.
Related factors
The causes nursing can act on. They go in the "related to" part of the statement.
- Uncontrolled nausea, pain or dyspnea while eating.
- Meals that do not match their tastes, schedule or the texture they can chew.
- Poor dentition or ill-fitting dentures.
- Repeated NPO periods for tests or procedures.
- Lack of feeding assistance for dependent patients.
- Not knowing what or how much to eat in their situation.
- Isolation, sadness or eating alone.
At-risk populations
- Adults over 70.
- People hospitalized for more than a week.
- People who depend on others to eat.
- People undergoing cancer treatment.
- People living in poverty or alone.
Associated conditions
- Acute or chronic pancreatitis.
- Cancer and chemotherapy.
- Advanced COPD and heart failure.
- Inflammatory bowel disease.
- Dementia.
- Major gastrointestinal surgery.
How to write it (PES)
Inadequate nutritional intake related to uncontrolled nausea and pain with eating and lack of knowledge of the prescribed diet as evidenced by intake of less than 50% of meals for 4 days and weight loss of 4 kg (6%) in 3 weeks.
Inadequate nutritional intake (00343).
Whatever keeps the patient from eating that nursing can address: nausea, pain, diet texture, lack of help, lack of knowledge. Pancreatitis or cancer is written as the associated condition.
Measurable data: percentage of each meal eaten, weight and percentage lost, BMI, circumferences and the screening result.
Example written by our team for a fictional patient. Adapt it to your own patient's data. Build your statement with the PES generator.
Goals / expected outcomes
Written in measurable terms: what, how much and by when.
- Eats at least 75% of each meal within 5 days.
- Loses no further weight during the hospital stay, with weights every 3 days.
- Reports nausea ≤ 2/10 during meals within 48 hours.
- Explains which foods in their diet provide the most protein and calories before discharge.
- Regains at least 1 kg in the first month after discharge.
Nursing interventions and rationales
| Intervention | Rationale |
|---|---|
| Record the percentage eaten at every meal. | It is an objective measure; "ate poorly" does not let you track progress. |
| Weigh the patient twice a week, at the same time and on the same scale. | It confirms whether the interventions are working. |
| Control nausea and pain before meals with prescribed medications and measures such as oral care and an environment free of strong odors. | A patient with nausea or pain will not eat, even if the diet is right. |
| Offer small, frequent meals, with the most nutritious foods first. | It makes the most of the appetite before satiety sets in. |
| Adjust texture, temperature and preferences within what the diet allows. | Patients eat more of food they like and can chew. |
| Assist with feeding when needed: sit the patient up, open containers, give them time. | Lack of help is a common and preventable cause of poor intake in the hospital. |
| Avoid unnecessary NPO periods and replace meals missed for tests. | Every NPO period adds a day of inadequate intake. |
| Request a dietitian consult if intake is below 50% for 3 days or the screening is positive. | The patient may need supplements or nutrition support decided by the team. |
| Teach the patient and family which foods in their diet provide the most protein and calories. | It keeps the improvement going after discharge. |
NOC outcomes and NIC interventions
Outcomes (NOC) and interventions (NIC) that published sources link to this diagnosis. Pick the ones that fit your patient.
NOC outcomes
- 1004Nutritional Status
- 1005Nutritional Status: Biochemical Measures
NIC interventions
- 1100Nutrition Management
- 5246Nutritional Counseling
- 5614Teaching: Prescribed Diet
Linkages drawn from care plans published by health services, universities and nursing journals. Labels may vary depending on the NIC and NOC edition your facility uses.
Case study: Pancreatitis when restarting oral intake
Patient. 58-year-old man on day 9 of a hospital stay for acute pancreatitis. He restarted his diet 4 days ago but eats very little.
Assessment
- Current weight 62 kg; usual weight 66 kg (6% loss in 3 weeks).
- Height 1.70 m; BMI 21.5 kg/m².
- Has eaten 25% to 40% of each meal tray for 4 days.
- Nausea 6/10 and epigastric pain 4/10 when eating.
- Does not know which foods he can eat and is afraid "the pain will come back."
- NRS-2002 score of 4 (at nutritional risk); albumin 3.1 g/dL.
Nursing diagnosis
Inadequate nutritional intake related to uncontrolled nausea and pain with eating and lack of knowledge of the prescribed diet as evidenced by intake of 25-40% of meals for 4 days and weight loss of 4 kg (6%) in 3 weeks, in a patient with acute pancreatitis (associated condition).
Goal
Eats at least 75% of each meal within 5 days.
Interventions
- Prescribed antiemetic and analgesic 30 minutes before meals, per provider order.
- Six small low-fat meals a day, according to the prescribed diet.
- Record of the percentage eaten at each meal and weight every 3 days.
- Teaching on the low-fat diet and the foods he can eat.
- Dietitian consult for the positive screening.
Evaluation
At 5 days he eats 70% to 80% of each meal, reports nausea of 2/10 and his weight holds at 62 kg. The goal was nearly met. The diagnosis remains active at discharge, with a goal of regaining 2 kg in one month and outpatient follow-up.
How it differs from similar diagnoses
- Inadequate protein energy nutritional intake (00359): More specific: the deficit is mainly in energy and protein, with loss of muscle mass. Use it if your assessment documents that.
- Risk for inadequate nutritional intake (00409): This is the risk version: the patient still eats enough but has factors that could make them stop.
- Impaired swallowing (00103): The problem is swallowing. If the patient eats little because of dysphagia, start with swallowing.
- Readiness for enhanced nutritional intake (00419): A health promotion diagnosis: the patient eats well and wants to improve their nutrition.
Common mistakes
- Still using "Imbalanced nutrition: less than body requirements (00002)" in work based on the 2024-2026 edition.
- Writing "as evidenced by eats poorly" without percentages or weight.
- Diagnosing based on low albumin alone: inflammation also lowers it.
- Writing "related to pancreatitis" as the related factor: it is an associated condition.
Used in these conditions
Other diagnoses in the Ingestion class
Domain 2, Nutrition. See every diagnosis in this domain.
Frequently asked questions
What is the NANDA code for inadequate nutritional intake?
00343. It belongs to Domain 2 (Nutrition), Class 1 (Ingestion). It replaces Imbalanced nutrition: less than body requirements (00002).
What happened to imbalanced nutrition: less than body requirements?
In NANDA-I 2024-2026 it changed name and code: it is now Inadequate nutritional intake (00343). If your program uses the previous edition, you will see 00002.
How much weight loss is significant?
More than 5% of usual body weight in one month or more than 10% in six months, without trying to lose weight.
What's the difference between this and inadequate protein energy nutritional intake?
00359 focuses on the energy and protein deficit, with loss of muscle mass. 00343 is more general.
Which nutrition screening tool should I use?
MNA for older adults and NRS-2002 for hospitalized patients are among the most widely used. Use whichever your facility has, and use the same one every time.
Study material: the explanation, characteristics, factors, examples and case study on this page were written by our editorial team. The official text for Inadequate nutritional intake (00343) is in NANDA International Nursing Diagnoses: Definitions and Classification 2024-2026. This page does not replace clinical judgment or your facility's protocols.
Classification sources: NANDA-I 2024-2026, Thieme supplement · Elsevier summary of changes · Spanish edition table of contents · NOC/NIC: source 1, source 2, source 3. Reviewed November 2, 2026.