Question 1

Calculate the body mass index (BMI) for a 63-year-old client who is 6' 2" and weighs 180 pounds (round it to the nearest whole number)?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: BMI is calculated as weight (kg) divided by height (m) squared. Converting 180 lb to kg gives about 81.6 kg, and converting 6'2" to meters gives about 1.88 m; squaring the height yields about 3.53. Dividing 81.6 by 3.53 gives approximately 23.1, which rounds to 23. Options 25, 26, and 30 would correspond to higher weights or shorter heights than those provided.

Question 2

Night blindness caused due to Deficiency of...?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: C. Vit-A Vitamin A is required to form retinal (11-cis-retinal), a key component of rhodopsin in rod photoreceptors responsible for vision in low light. Deficiency impairs dark adaptation, producing nyctalopia (night blindness) as an early symptom. With ongoing deficiency, xerophthalmia and corneal damage can develop, reflecting progressive ocular surface and retinal dysfunction. In contrast, vitamin C deficiency is classically linked to scurvy, not isolated low-light vision problems.

Question 3

Source of Vitamin D is?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: This endogenous production is a major physiologic source and supports calcium and phosphate absorption for bone mineralization. The other options listed are not meaningful dietary sources of vitamin D compared with fortified foods, fatty fish, or supplements. Therefore, the best answer is the one that reflects the primary natural source via skin synthesis.

Question 4

Deficiency of which mineral is linked to tooth decay?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: When intake is inadequate, enamel is less resistant to demineralization, increasing the risk of dental caries. Zinc, iron, and copper are important for immune function and enzymatic processes but are not primary determinants of enamel acid resistance or caries prevention in the way fluoride is. A common confusion is linking any micronutrient deficiency to tooth problems, but caries prevention is most directly tied to fluoride exposure and oral hygiene/caries risk factors.

Question 5

Pyridoxine is otherwise called as?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: This vitamin functions mainly as a coenzyme (pyridoxal phosphate) in amino acid metabolism and neurotransmitter synthesis, which is why it is grouped under nutritional biochemistry. The other choices correspond to different vitamins (B1 = thiamine, B2 = riboflavin, B12 = cobalamin) and therefore do not match the name given. Knowing these common name–number pairs is frequently tested because they guide supplementation and deficiency recognition.

Question 6

Mother’s milk is deficient in?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: Term infants typically rely on prenatal iron stores initially, then need additional dietary iron as stores decline, which is why iron-rich complementary foods and/or supplementation are emphasized later. Protein, fat, and calcium are generally present in adequate amounts in mature breast milk to support normal growth when intake is sufficient. A common trap is to assume calcium is deficient, but it is usually sufficient despite maternal dietary variation due to physiologic regulation.

Question 7

Vitamin B3 is also called?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: This directly matches the stem asking for the alternate name of B3. The distractors are other vitamins: biotin is B7, pyridoxine is B6, and retinol is vitamin A. Recognizing these standard equivalences prevents mix-ups when linking deficiencies (e.g., pellagra) or supplementation to the correct vitamin.

Question 8

Vitamin C prevents ...?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: Deficiency leads to impaired collagen formation causing bleeding gums, petechiae, poor wound healing, and corkscrew hairs—classic features of scurvy. Adequate vitamin C intake prevents these deficiency manifestations. While vitamin C can enhance non-heme iron absorption and may support anemia prevention in some contexts, it does not primarily “prevent anemia” as its defining deficiency disease in this question.

Question 9

Which vitamin is absorbed with the help of fats?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: Vitamin D is fat-soluble (along with A, E, and K), so absorption is enhanced in the presence of fats and can be impaired in fat malabsorption states (e.g., cholestasis, pancreatic insufficiency). In contrast, vitamin C and most B vitamins are water-soluble and are absorbed without needing fat. Therefore the option that fits absorption with the help of fats is the fat-soluble vitamin listed here.

Question 10

A dietitian is helping an individual with a cholesterol level of 250 mg/dL choose an appropriate meal plan. Which of the following types of food would be most beneficial to add to this individual's meal plan?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: Legumes such as beans are high in soluble fiber and are consistently recommended in heart-healthy, cholesterol-lowering diets. In contrast, cheese is typically high in saturated fat, which can raise LDL, and coconut oil is also rich in saturated fats despite being plant-derived. Ground turkey can be lean if selected carefully, but it does not provide the same cholesterol-lowering soluble fiber benefit as legumes.

Question 11

Which vitamin increases the absorption of calcium in the body?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: g., calbindin) in enterocytes. When vitamin D is deficient, calcium absorption falls, leading to secondary hyperparathyroidism and bone demineralization (rickets/osteomalacia). Vitamin A and most B vitamins do not have a primary physiologic role in promoting calcium uptake from the gut. This is why adequate vitamin D status is essential for maintaining normal serum calcium and bone mineralization.

Question 12

Sun light is the source of - - -?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: Vitamin D UVB radiation from sunlight converts 7-dehydrocholesterol in the skin into cholecalciferol, which is then activated in the liver and kidneys to calcitriol. This vitamin is essential for intestinal calcium and phosphate absorption and normal bone mineralization, so reduced sun exposure can contribute to rickets/osteomalacia. The other listed vitamins are primarily obtained from diet rather than being synthesized in the skin. A common pitfall is confusing dietary fat-soluble vitamins (A, K) with the one produced by sunlight-triggered skin synthesis.

Question 13

Which vitamin is important for immunity?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: Vitamin C is a key water-soluble antioxidant and is required for normal neutrophil chemotaxis and phagocytosis, and it supports tissue integrity through collagen synthesis, helping barrier defense. Vitamin A also contributes to mucosal integrity, but it is more classically tested for vision/epithelial maintenance, whereas this stem most commonly targets vitamin C as the “immunity” vitamin. Vitamin B12 is primarily tied to DNA synthesis and neurologic function, and vitamin K is mainly for coagulation.

Question 14

Cheilitis is due to deficiency of?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: Inflammation and fissuring at the lips/angles of the mouth (cheilitis/angular stomatitis) are hallmark features of ariboflavinosis, often alongside glossitis and seborrheic dermatitis. Vitamin A deficiency is more associated with xerosis and night blindness, vitamin K deficiency with bleeding tendencies, and vitamin D deficiency with rickets/osteomalacia rather than lip inflammation. Therefore the deficiency most directly linked to cheilitis among the options is riboflavin.

Question 15

Pellagra is caused by deficiency of?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: This deficiency classically causes the “3 Ds”: dermatitis (often photosensitive), diarrhea, and dementia, and can progress to death if untreated. Niacin deficiency is seen with malnutrition, alcoholism, malabsorption, and conditions reducing tryptophan availability (since tryptophan is a niacin precursor). In contrast, vitamin C deficiency causes scurvy, and vitamin B1 deficiency causes beriberi/Wernicke-Korsakoff, which are different clinical syndromes.

Question 16

Which mineral is essential for healthy bones and teeth?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: Bone and tooth hardness depends on mineralization of the extracellular matrix with calcium salts, primarily hydroxyapatite. Adequate calcium intake supports normal bone remodeling and peak bone mass, reducing risk of osteopenia/osteoporosis and dental demineralization. Iron’s primary role is in hemoglobin and oxygen transport, not structural mineralization. Sodium and potassium are key electrolytes for fluid balance and neuromuscular function rather than building calcified tissue.

Question 17

Which vitamin is necessary for the formation of blood cells and DNA synthesis?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: Because hematopoietic precursor cells divide quickly, deficiency impairs erythropoiesis and leads to megaloblastic anemia. While vitamin B12 is also involved in DNA synthesis through folate metabolism, the classic vitamin directly emphasized for blood cell formation and DNA synthesis in nutrition questions is folate (B9). Vitamin B1 and B6 have key roles in energy metabolism and amino acid/heme synthesis, respectively, but they are not the primary vitamins for DNA synthesis–driven cell replication.

Question 18

Which vitamin is stored in the liver?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: This option fits because retinol and retinyl esters are stored primarily in the liver (and also in adipose tissue) and can accumulate to toxic levels when intake is excessive. A key contrast is that vitamin C is water-soluble and has minimal body stores, so deficiency can develop relatively quickly with poor intake. Vitamin B12 does have significant hepatic stores, but classic exam teaching for “stored in the liver” among common vitamin choices typically targets fat-soluble vitamin A as the best single answer.

Question 19

Which of the following has been shown to reduce the duration of acute diarrhea in children?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: This effect is most clinically relevant in settings where zinc deficiency is common and is endorsed by major public health guidance alongside oral rehydration therapy. The other listed vitamins are not consistently shown to shorten the course of acute infectious diarrhea. A common distractor is vitamin A, which has broader roles in immunity and epithelial health but is not the standard intervention for reducing acute diarrhea duration.

Question 20

Daily requirement of folic acid for adult is-?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: The standard adult RDA is about 400 micrograms of dietary folate equivalents per day, which matches this option. The milligram options are orders of magnitude too high for routine daily requirement and would be used only in specific therapeutic contexts, not as daily needs. A very low microgram dose would be insufficient to meet baseline physiologic demands and prevent deficiency-related macrocytic anemia.

Question 21

Which vitamin deficiency is linked to recurrent epistaxis/nosebleeds?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: When deficient (scurvy), fragile blood vessels lead to easy bruising and mucosal bleeding, including recurrent epistaxis and gingival bleeding. This mechanism directly explains repeated nosebleeds without needing a primary coagulation factor defect. In contrast, vitamin K deficiency more typically causes impaired clotting with prolonged PT/INR and broader bleeding manifestations, rather than primarily capillary fragility.

Question 22

Which macronutrient is the body's primary source of energy?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: Many tissues, especially the brain and red blood cells, rely heavily on glucose as a continuous energy source. Fats are an important energy reserve and yield more calories per gram, but they are not the primary rapid source under typical physiologic conditions. Proteins are mainly used for tissue building/repair and are only a major energy source in prolonged fasting or severe deficiency states.

Question 23

Which Vitamin is used to treat common cold?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: It supports leukocyte function and acts as an antioxidant during inflammatory responses. Among the listed vitamins, this is the one most consistently linked in exam contexts with “common cold” treatment/support. Vitamins A, B-complex, and D have important physiologic roles but are not the standard vitamin singled out for this indication in typical nursing/medical MCQs.

Question 24

Which vitamin is crucial for fetal development and is commonly recommended to pregnant women?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: Adequate folate intake before conception and in the first trimester reduces the risk of neural tube defects such as spina bifida and anencephaly. This is why prenatal vitamins routinely include folic acid supplementation. In contrast, vitamin A is not the standard “crucial” recommendation in pregnancy because excess preformed vitamin A can be teratogenic, and vitamins C or B12 do not have the same specific neural tube defect prevention role.

Question 25

WHO recommends less than ____ g/day of salt intake for adults to reduce NCD risk?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: The WHO adult recommendation is to consume less than 5 g of salt per day (about 2 g of sodium) to lower hypertension and related NCD burden. Values like 10 g or 15 g/day exceed recommended limits and would not be expected to reduce population NCD risk. The 2 g option reflects sodium (not salt) and is therefore a common unit-based distractor.

Question 26

Marasmus disease is related to?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: The condition is therefore directly related to inadequate nutritional intake and/or absorption rather than an isolated organ infection or chronic liver pathology. Typical findings include extreme thinness, growth failure, and “old man” facies without the prominent edema seen in kwashiorkor. Skin changes can occur secondarily from deficiency, but they are not the primary disease relationship being tested here.

Question 27

Which vitamin is destroyed by heat easily?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: Ascorbic acid is particularly unstable with heat and oxidation, so boiling or long cooking markedly reduces its content in foods. In contrast, fat-soluble vitamins (A and D) are generally more heat-stable during typical food preparation. A common test point is that storage and cooking losses are greatest for ascorbic acid compared with the listed alternatives.

Question 28

The disease caused due to deficiency of nicotinic acid is?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: The classic clinical syndrome is pellagra, remembered by the “3 Ds”: dermatitis, diarrhea, and dementia (and can progress to death if untreated). The other options align with different nutrient deficiencies: xerophthalmia with vitamin A deficiency and osteomalacia with vitamin D deficiency. Anemia is nonspecific and more classically associated with iron, folate, or vitamin B12 deficiency rather than niacin.

Question 29

Which nutrient is the main source of energy for the body?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: Glucose is essential for tissues with high and immediate energy demands, especially the brain and red blood cells. While fat provides more calories per gram and serves as a major energy reserve, it is not the primary immediate energy source under typical conditions. Protein is primarily used for growth and tissue repair and is spared from energy use when adequate carbohydrate is available; vitamins do not provide calories.

Train with a large NCLEX question bank and jump into a full exam-style simulator

Nutrition Practice Test 13

Nutrition NCLEX Practice Test

Continue Learning