Which term describes a lack of adequate body water?

• A. Diet
• B. Dehydration
• C. Edema
• D. Gastrostomy (G-Tube)

Answer: (B)

Lack of adequate body water is dehydration. This term describes when total body water falls short of what the body needs to function properly, which can happen from not drinking enough fluids, excessive sweating, diarrhea, or vomiting. In nutrition care, staying properly hydrated supports blood volume, temperature regulation, digestion, and transport of nutrients.

Edema, on the other hand, is swelling caused by too much fluid accumulating in tissues, not a deficit of body water. Diet is a broad term for eating and drinking patterns and isn’t a specific state of hydration. A gastrostomy (G-tube) is a feeding access method and doesn’t describe water status by itself.

So the term that describes a lack of adequate body water is dehydration.