Question 1

Weak eyesight is due to deficiency of what?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: Deficiency leads to impaired dark adaptation (night blindness) and can progress to xerophthalmia and keratomalacia, clinically presenting as “weak eyesight.” In contrast, vitamin C deficiency primarily causes scurvy (bleeding gums, poor wound healing), and vitamin D deficiency affects bone mineralization rather than vision. Therefore the nutrient classically linked to visual impairment from deficiency is vitamin A.

Question 2

Which sugar is suitable for diabetic patient?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: This option is a high-intensity non-nutritive sweetener and is not metabolized to glucose to any meaningful extent, so it has negligible glycemic impact. By contrast, fructose and lactose are caloric sugars that are absorbed and can contribute to overall carbohydrate load and hyperglycemia if consumed in typical amounts. Mannitol is a sugar alcohol with less glycemic impact than sugars, but it can still provide calories and carbohydrate equivalents and is not as consistently “non-glycemic” as non-nutritive sweeteners, making it a less optimal single best choice here.

Question 3

A patient has been diagnosed with scurvy. As the nurse, you know that this patient is deficient in which substance?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: Impaired collagen leads to fragile capillaries and poor connective tissue integrity, explaining classic findings such as bleeding gums, petechiae/ecchymoses, and poor wound healing. Repleting this nutrient corrects the underlying biochemical defect and reverses symptoms over time. In contrast, vitamin D deficiency primarily causes bone mineralization problems (e.g., rickets/osteomalacia), not the hemorrhagic/connective tissue manifestations typical of scurvy.

Question 4

The most abundant source of iron is…?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: Milk is notably low in iron and can worsen iron deficiency if it displaces iron-rich foods. Eggs contain only modest iron and also have components that can reduce iron bioavailability. “Iron” is not a food source choice in this context, whereas beans provide a meaningful amount of iron per serving, making them the best answer among the options.

Question 5

Certain forms of pica are caused by a deficiency. Which nutrient is most commonly deficient?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: These are mineral deficiencies that can alter appetite and lead to craving/ingestion of nonfood substances (e.g., dirt, clay, ice). Vitamins, electrolytes, and protein deficiencies are not the typical or most tested nutritional link to pica in pediatrics. Therefore, the option that best matches the most common deficiency association is minerals.

Question 6

What is the main source of energy in the diet?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: Carbohydrates are the body’s primary and preferred fuel source for immediate energy needs, especially for the brain and red blood cells. They are readily broken down into glucose, which supports ATP production through glycolysis and subsequent metabolic pathways. Fats provide a concentrated energy reserve but are more central to long-term energy storage and require different metabolic handling before use. Water and minerals are essential for physiological functions but do not supply calories and therefore cannot be primary energy sources.

Question 7

The purpose of total parenteral nutrition (TPN) is to maintain nutrition. Varied energy sources supply different amounts of calories for the body's use. How many kilocalories does 1 gram of fat yield?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: Macronutrients have standard energy densities used for nutrition support calculations: carbohydrates and protein provide ~4 kcal/g, while fat provides ~9 kcal/g. This is clinically relevant in TPN because lipid emulsions are the most calorie-dense component and help meet energy needs while limiting dextrose load. The 3.4 kcal/g value is associated with dextrose (glucose monohydrate) rather than fat, making it a common distractor in parenteral nutrition questions. Therefore, 1 gram of fat yields 9 kilocalories.

Question 8

Which vitamin helps to support vision?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: Deficiency impairs dark adaptation and can cause night blindness and xerophthalmia due to abnormal ocular surface epithelium. In contrast, vitamin D primarily regulates calcium/phosphate and bone health, not phototransduction. Vitamins E and K are mainly involved in antioxidant protection and coagulation, respectively, and are not the primary vitamins for vision support.

Question 9

Which of the following is not a fat soluble vitamin?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: Vitamin C is water-soluble, absorbed directly into the bloodstream, and has limited body storage compared with fat-soluble vitamins. Therefore it is the best choice for a vitamin that is not fat soluble. A common pitfall is confusing vitamin C with the fat-soluble group because it is a widely supplemented vitamin, but it belongs with the water-soluble vitamins (B-complex and C).

Question 10

Which of the following is an environmental factor that increases the risk of cancer?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: This option best fits an environmental/lifestyle determinant because dietary intake can increase or decrease risk depending on patterns (e.g., processed meats, low fiber intake, excess calories). Gender and age are nonmodifiable host factors rather than environmental exposures. Immunologic status is primarily an intrinsic host/medical factor (though it can be affected by disease or therapy) and is not typically classified as an environmental factor in basic risk-factor groupings.

Question 11

What is main reason for under five morbidity and mortality?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: It also worsens disease severity and prolongs recovery, making conditions like diarrhea and pneumonia more likely to be fatal. Population-level estimates attribute a large proportion of under‑five deaths to undernutrition as an underlying factor even when the immediate cause is infection. In contrast, birth asphyxia is mainly a neonatal cause, and leukemia is a comparatively rare contributor to under‑five mortality globally.

Question 12

Iron absorption is increased by which of the following?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: This effect is especially important for iron from plant-based sources, which is otherwise less bioavailable. In contrast, phytates (in grains/legumes) and tannins/tannates (in tea/coffee) chelate iron and decrease its absorption. Therefore, the only option that increases iron absorption is the vitamin C source.

Question 13

Which electrolyte is plentiful in salt substitutes?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: This makes potassium the predominant electrolyte in many “no-salt” or “low-sodium” seasonings. Clinically, this matters because increased dietary potassium can precipitate hyperkalemia in patients with renal impairment or those taking ACE inhibitors/ARBs or potassium-sparing diuretics. Sodium is specifically reduced in these products, and chloride is present as the accompanying anion but not the key substituted electrolyte focus; magnesium is not typically used as the main salt substitute.

Question 14

Calcium requirement during pregnancy and lactation is -?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: 1.0 gm/day Pregnancy and lactation increase maternal calcium needs to support fetal skeletal mineralization and calcium losses in breast milk. Standard nursing/medical nutrition recommendations commonly taught for exams place the daily requirement around 1000 mg elemental calcium for most pregnant and lactating adults (with higher needs mainly in adolescents). This value best matches the physiologic demand without exceeding typical dietary-reference ranges. Options like 2–3 g/day are above routine requirements and are generally reserved for specific clinical indications rather than universal recommendations.

Question 15

Which macronutrient provides 9 kcal of energy per gram?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: This higher energy density reflects fat’s greater proportion of reduced carbon-hydrogen bonds available for oxidation. Nucleic acids are not typically considered dietary macronutrients in calorie calculations for clinical nutrition. Therefore the option matching 9 kcal per gram is the lipid source.

Question 16

A patient experiencing which of the following would be at the highest risk for B-complex deficiency?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: Bariatric procedures (especially those that bypass portions of the stomach/small intestine) reduce nutrient intake and absorption, increasing risk for deficiencies such as thiamine (B1), folate (B9), and cobalamin (B12). This risk is amplified by postoperative vomiting, limited oral intake, and altered GI anatomy, so routine supplementation and monitoring are standard. Diabetes and hypertension do not inherently cause broad B-complex malabsorption, and gallbladder surgery does not typically impair absorption of water-soluble B vitamins.

Question 17

Which trace mineral helps to decrease tooth decay?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: It also inhibits bacterial metabolism in dental plaque, lowering acid production after carbohydrate intake. Community water fluoridation and topical fluoride are evidence-based measures that decrease caries incidence across populations. In contrast, cobalt, selenium, and zinc are trace elements with other physiologic roles but are not primary anticaries agents for enamel protection.

Question 18

Yellow and orange fruits and vegetables are often rich in which vitamin?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: This nutrient is commonly associated with vision (rhodopsin function), epithelial integrity, and immune support, aligning with the dietary pattern described. Vitamin D is primarily obtained from sunlight exposure and fortified foods rather than fruit/vegetable pigments. Vitamin K is more classically linked to green leafy vegetables due to its role in coagulation factor activation.

Question 19

The nurse educates a patient with a BMI of 22 that they fall into which category?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: 5–24.9 kg/m². A BMI of 22 falls squarely within this range, indicating a healthy body weight classification. Overweight begins at BMI ≥25, while obesity begins at BMI ≥30, so those options are too high. Underweight is BMI

Question 20

The main source of vitamin C is?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: Citrus fruits provide substantial amounts that prevent deficiency states such as scurvy by supporting collagen synthesis and wound healing. Milk, meat, and rice contain little to negligible vitamin C compared with fresh produce. Therefore, the most appropriate main source among the listed options is the citrus category.

Question 21

A nurse is caring for a patient with night blindness, dry conjunctiva, and dry corneas. The patient is diagnosed with xerophthalmia. The nurse knows this can be associated with which vitamin deficiency?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: Deficiency therefore classically causes night blindness along with conjunctival and corneal dryness (xerophthalmia) that can progress to keratomalacia. The patient’s symptom cluster directly matches this deficiency pattern. By contrast, vitamin C deficiency is associated with impaired collagen synthesis (e.g., bleeding gums, poor wound healing) rather than ocular surface dryness and night blindness.

Question 22

Which vitamin increases the absorption of iron?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: This is why taking oral iron with a vitamin C–containing beverage can improve bioavailability, especially in plant-based diets. Vitamin B12 is primarily involved in DNA synthesis and neurologic function and does not increase intestinal iron uptake. Vitamins A and D have important roles in vision/epithelial integrity and calcium-phosphate homeostasis, respectively, but they are not the key enhancer of iron absorption.

Question 23

The nurse educates a patient taking calcium supplements to also increase their intake of which vitamin to increase the absorption of the calcium?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: Without adequate vitamin D, a larger fraction of oral calcium passes through unabsorbed, limiting the effectiveness of supplementation and increasing risk of osteopenia/osteoporosis. In contrast, vitamin K is primarily involved in coagulation and bone protein carboxylation, not gut calcium uptake. Vitamins A and C have roles in vision/epithelial health and collagen formation/iron absorption, respectively, but they do not directly enhance calcium absorption like vitamin D does.

Question 24

Kwashiorkor is in children is due to?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: Protein deficiency leads to hypoalbuminemia, which decreases plasma oncotic pressure and causes edema, a hallmark clinical feature. It also impairs hepatic lipoprotein synthesis, contributing to fatty liver and abdominal distension. Vitamin or mineral deficiencies can coexist but do not explain the classic edema-dominant presentation as directly as protein deficiency.

Question 25

The nurse is caring for a patient with a deficiency in thiamine, vitamin B1. Which of the following conditions is associated with this deficiency?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: This leads to Wernicke encephalopathy (classically confusion, ataxia, ophthalmoplegia) and may progress to Korsakoff syndrome with persistent memory impairment and confabulation. A key clinical association is chronic alcohol use and severe malnutrition, and thiamine should be given before glucose to avoid precipitating acute neurologic worsening. Cheilosis is more typical of riboflavin (B2) deficiency, pernicious anemia is due to vitamin B12 deficiency from intrinsic factor loss, and xerophthalmia is due to vitamin A deficiency.

Question 26

Which of the following conditions is unlikely to cause a negative nitrogen balance?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: Fever, severe burns, and starvation all increase protein breakdown and/or reduce protein availability, making negative nitrogen balance likely. Hypothyroidism lowers basal metabolic rate and generally reduces overall protein turnover, so it is less likely to drive a catabolic, nitrogen-wasting state. A common contrast is burns, which strongly increase metabolic demands and urinary nitrogen loss due to extensive tissue injury and stress hormones.

Question 27

Which macronutrient is the body’s primary source of energy and controls blood glucose and insulin metabolism?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: Rising glucose stimulates pancreatic insulin release, making carbohydrate intake the key driver of insulin metabolism and glycemic control. In contrast, lipids are energy-dense and important for long-term energy storage but have a much smaller immediate effect on postprandial blood glucose. Protein can be used for energy when needed but is primarily used for tissue building and does not raise blood glucose as predictably as carbohydrate. Nucleic acids are not a dietary macronutrient class used for energy regulation in the way carbohydrates, fats, and proteins are.

Question 28

Which trace mineral decreases tooth decay?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: It also inhibits bacterial enzymes and reduces acid production in dental plaque, lowering the risk of enamel breakdown. Iodine’s key nutritional role is thyroid hormone synthesis, not tooth enamel protection. Zinc is important for immune function and wound healing and is not the primary trace mineral associated with caries reduction.

Question 29

Which vitamin is important for Eye health and is also found in carrots?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: Vitamin A (retinol) is essential for normal vision because it is required to form rhodopsin in retinal photoreceptors, supporting dark adaptation and overall eye function. Carrots are rich in beta-carotene, a provitamin A carotenoid that the body converts into active vitamin A as needed. Deficiency can lead to night blindness and xerophthalmia, which aligns with the question’s focus on eye health. In contrast, vitamin C is more strongly associated with collagen synthesis and antioxidant support rather than being the primary vitamin linked to vision and carrots.

Question 30

Which vitamin deficiency causes rickets?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: Vitamin D deficiency decreases intestinal absorption of calcium and phosphate, leading to hypocalcemia, secondary hyperparathyroidism, and defective mineralization in children. This produces classic skeletal findings such as bowed legs, delayed closure of fontanelles, and widening of wrists/ankles. In contrast, vitamin K deficiency primarily causes bleeding due to impaired coagulation factor activation rather than bone deformities.

Question 31

A pregnant patient on a low-phenylalanine diet should monitor the amount of which nutrient in their diet?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: g., impaired neurodevelopment). Because phenylalanine intake largely tracks with total protein intake, patients must carefully monitor and regulate protein sources while meeting pregnancy’s increased nutritional needs using specialized low-phenylalanine medical formulas. Fat, sodium, and sugar do not directly determine phenylalanine exposure and therefore are not the primary targets of monitoring for this diet. The key safety point is balancing adequate overall nutrition for pregnancy while minimizing phenylalanine load from protein-containing foods.

Question 32

How would the nurse describe amino acids that cannot be made by the body and must come from a food source?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: Those that cannot be synthesized (or not in sufficient quantity) must be obtained through dietary intake to support protein synthesis, tissue repair, and metabolic functions. This definition matches the term used for these required dietary amino acids. A common distractor is “Nonessential,” which refers to amino acids the body can make, so they do not have to come from food.

Question 33

Which vitamin deficiency causes night blindness?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: Vitamin A (retinol) is a required precursor for 11-cis-retinal, the chromophore essential for rhodopsin in rods, so deficiency first presents with poor dark adaptation. Continued deficiency can progress to xerophthalmia, Bitot spots, and keratomalacia, reinforcing the eye-specific link. The other listed choices are not vitamins involved in the visual cycle and would not specifically cause isolated night blindness as a classic deficiency sign.

Question 34

Which vitamin is also called Thiamine?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: Deficiency classically causes beriberi and Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, linking it strongly to neurologic and cardiovascular manifestations. In contrast, vitamin B2 is riboflavin, vitamin B6 is pyridoxine, and vitamin B12 is cobalamin, each with distinct coenzyme roles and deficiency syndromes. Therefore, the option identifying thiamine as B1 is the only scientifically correct match.

Question 35

Deficiency of Vitamin C causes –?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: This produces classic findings such as bleeding gums, petechiae/bruising, poor wound healing, and corkscrew hairs, collectively termed scurvy. The other options match different vitamin deficiencies: rickets is due to vitamin D deficiency, beriberi to thiamine (B1) deficiency, and pellagra to niacin (B3) deficiency. Therefore the only option that fits vitamin C deficiency is the one selected.

Question 36

Which mineral is essential for bone strength?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: Calcium provides the key structural mineral content that gives bone its hardness and resistance to fracture. In contrast, iodine is mainly required for thyroid hormone synthesis and iron is central to hemoglobin/oxygen transport, neither directly building bone mineral. Sodium is important for fluid and nerve function but excess intake can increase urinary calcium losses rather than strengthen bone.

Question 37

Deficiency of Vitamin D causes –?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: In deficiency, inadequate mineralization at the growth plates in children leads to rickets with bone pain, delayed growth, and skeletal deformities. By contrast, scurvy results from vitamin C deficiency, night blindness from vitamin A deficiency, and beriberi from thiamine (vitamin B1) deficiency. Therefore the option that matches vitamin D deficiency is the childhood bone disease described.

Question 38

Which nutrient provides quick energy ?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: Glucose can be utilized quickly by most tissues and can also be stored as glycogen for short-term energy needs. In contrast, fats provide more calories per gram but require slower metabolic processing before yielding usable energy. Proteins are primarily used for tissue building/repair and are generally spared for energy unless intake is inadequate or during prolonged fasting.

Question 39

Pregnant women need extra?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: Pregnancy increases maternal iron requirements because blood volume expands and the fetus/placenta need iron for growth and red blood cell production. Without additional iron intake, the mother is at higher risk for iron-deficiency anemia, which can contribute to fatigue and adverse pregnancy outcomes. Among the choices, iron is the most classically emphasized “extra” nutrient in pregnancy due to the magnitude of requirement increase and routine supplementation recommendations. Protein and calcium are also important in pregnancy, but the single best answer for a general “need extra” MCQ is iron; soda provides no essential nutrient and can worsen overall diet quality.

Question 40

Pellagra symptoms include diarrhea, dermatitis, and dementia. Which vitamin deficiency may cause pellagra?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: The classic clinical triad is the “3 D’s”: dermatitis, diarrhea, and dementia, which matches the stem. Cobalamin deficiency more typically causes megaloblastic anemia and neurologic deficits, not the pellagra triad. Riboflavin and pyridoxine deficiencies have other characteristic mucocutaneous and neurologic findings but do not produce pellagra’s hallmark constellation.

Question 41

Earliest sign of Vitamin A deficiency?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: Early deficiency therefore first impairs dark adaptation, producing nyctalopia before more advanced ocular surface disease develops. Later findings can include xerosis, Bitot spots, and keratomalacia, reflecting progressive epithelial dysfunction. The other options are not characteristic early sentinel findings of vitamin A deficiency and are more nonspecific or linked to other nutritional problems.

Question 42

Folic acid is also known as –?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: It is essential for DNA synthesis and cell division, making it particularly important in rapidly dividing tissues and during pregnancy. Deficiency classically leads to megaloblastic anemia and increases risk of neural tube defects in the fetus. Other listed B vitamins have different primary roles (e.g., B12 is cobalamin and is also tied to neurologic function), so they do not match folic acid’s vitamin designation.

Question 43

Which vitamin is needed for iron absorption?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: This increases bioavailability especially from plant-based foods and helps counter inhibitors like phytates and polyphenols. The other listed vitamins do not play the primary physiologic role in improving iron uptake at the intestinal brush border. Clinically, pairing oral iron or iron-rich meals with vitamin C–containing foods can improve treatment response in iron deficiency.

Question 44

Vitamin D is also known as –?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: This link between sunlight and endogenous production is why it is commonly called the “sunshine vitamin.” It plays a central role in calcium and phosphate homeostasis and bone mineralization, which is distinct from stress modulation. A common distractor is “Vision vitamin,” which is classically associated with vitamin A (retinol) rather than vitamin D.

Question 45

Vitamin B12 is also known as —?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: Vitamin nomenclature pairs each B vitamin with a specific chemical name, and B12 corresponds to cobalamin compounds. Cyanocobalamin is the commonly referenced and widely used supplemental/pharmaceutical form of vitamin B12. Thiamine is vitamin B1, riboflavin is vitamin B2, and niacin is vitamin B3, making them incorrect substitutions. Recognizing these standard vitamin synonyms helps link deficiencies to classic clinical syndromes (e.g., B12 deficiency causing megaloblastic anemia and neurologic symptoms).

Question 46

Which vitamin helps in calcium absorption?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: Without adequate vitamin D, dietary calcium absorption falls, leading to hypocalcemia and secondary hyperparathyroidism with bone demineralization (e.g., rickets/osteomalacia). By contrast, vitamin K primarily supports gamma-carboxylation of clotting factors and bone proteins, but it is not the key driver of calcium absorption from the intestine. Therefore the vitamin most directly responsible for improving calcium absorption is vitamin D.

Question 47

Which one of the following pairs is not correctly matched?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: Pyridoxine (vitamin B6) deficiency instead is associated with problems such as peripheral neuropathy, dermatitis, and microcytic/sideroblastic anemia, not beriberi. Therefore pairing vitamin B6 with beriberi is incorrect. A common exam trap is mixing B-vitamin deficiencies; remembering B1 for beriberi helps avoid this.

Question 48

What is the chemical name of vitamin B1?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: Vitamin B1 is the water-soluble vitamin thiamine, a key cofactor (as thiamine pyrophosphate) in carbohydrate metabolism and neuronal energy production. Deficiency classically causes beriberi (neuropathy, heart failure) and Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, which ties the name directly to clinical consequences. Retinol is vitamin A, riboflavin is vitamin B2, and niacin is vitamin B3, making them common look-alike distractors. Therefore the correct chemical name for vitamin B1 is thiamine.

Question 49

The best source of protein is ...?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: Eggs provide complete proteins with a very favorable amino acid balance and high bioavailability, making them a standard reference (“high biological value”) protein. Wheat, maize, and rice are primarily carbohydrate staples and their proteins are relatively lower in quantity and incomplete in essential amino acids (e.g., lysine limitation in most cereals). Therefore, among the listed foods, the option that best fits the concept of an optimal protein source is the animal-derived complete protein.

Question 50

Which vitamin is also known as tocopherol?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: This naming is standard in nutrition and biochemistry and is commonly tested as a vitamin synonym. In contrast, vitamin A is primarily retinoids, vitamin C is ascorbic acid, and vitamin K refers to phylloquinone/menaquinones. Therefore, the vitamin known as tocopherol is vitamin E.

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