What is the primary goal of therapeutic diets?

The primary goal of therapeutic diets is to address specific health conditions. These specialized diets are designed to manage or treat medical issues such as diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, allergies, or other dietary restrictions. By tailoring the nutritional content and composition to meet the individual needs of patients, therapeutic diets play a critical role in promoting better health outcomes, managing symptoms, and supporting recovery.

While patient satisfaction, food costs, and meal presentation can be relevant factors in overall nutrition care, they do not specifically align with the fundamental purpose of therapeutic diets, which is focused on directly supporting health and medical treatment. The essence of a therapeutic diet is rooted in its ability to use food as a tool for health management, thus making it an essential component of care in nursing and clinical settings.