What is the purpose of conducting baseline and periodic nutritional assessments for TB patients?

Conducting baseline and periodic nutritional assessments for tuberculosis (TB) patients primarily aims to compute the patient's Body Mass Index (BMI) and to evaluate their nutritional status. This is crucial because malnutrition can significantly impact a TB patient's ability to respond to treatment, heal, and recover. Assessing nutritional status, which often includes evaluating BMI, helps healthcare providers understand the extent of malnutrition and provide appropriate interventions or nutritional support.

Monitoring physical comfort is not the primary focus of nutritional assessments, although good nutrition can contribute to overall comfort and well-being. Evaluating mental health status is also important in the context of TB treatment, but it falls outside the scope of nutritional assessments. Tracking work performance may be relevant for understanding the impact of TB on a patient’s life, but it is not a direct purpose of assessing nutritional status in this context. Therefore, computing the patient's BMI serves as a key indicator of nutritional health, making it the correct choice.