1

Nutrition 150 Study Questions for WR Nutrition

Ch. 1 Introduction
1. List 3 factors other than biological need that influence what we eat.
2. What affects your personal food choices?
3. What is nutrition?
4. What is an essential nutrient?
5. List the 6 classes of nutrients and indicate which ones are energy-containing.
6. List 3 functions provided by nutrients.
7. What unit(s) is/are used to measure energy in nutrition?
8. Define metabolism.
9. What are the DRI? To whom do they apply?
10. Distinguish the Estimated average requirement (EAR), Recommended dietary allowance (RDA), and
Adequate intake (AI).
11. Why isn’t alcohol considered to be a nutrient?
12. List the steps of the scientific process. Distinguish hypothesis from theory; experimental group from
control group; placebo; double-blind study.
13. Differentiate epidemiology studies from laboratory studies.
14. Identify accurate sources of nutrition information.

Ch. 2 Planning a healthy diet

1. What is meant by nutrient density? Which of the following is the most nutrient dense food: Whole milk,
nonfat milk, low fat milk, cheddar cheese.
2. In what food group(s) do legumes go?
3. What information is required on a food label?
4. What information is required on the Nutrition Facts panel. What foods don’t require nutritional labeling?

5. What is the basis for the shape of the Food Guide Pyramid?
6. List the 5 food groups of the Food Guide Pyramid and identify several foods typical of each group
7. How are the concepts of nutrient density and calorie control addressed in this plan?
8. Explain Daily values and calculate percent Daily Values.
9. A food scientist is developing a new and improved cereal bar. She consults with you to ask in what order
the ingredients should be listed on the food label. The ingredients are: Sugar: 30 g, Puffed wheat: 28 g, Dry milk
powder: 5 g, Red food coloring: 35 mg, Salt: 2 g.
10. Recognize and know the difference between nutrient claims, health claims, and structure-function claims.
11. Be able to state a recommendation for each of the 9 categories of the Dietary Guidelines for
Americans2005
12. What are some alternatives to meat in a diet? What are some benefits of a vegetarian diet?

Ch. 3 Digestion
1. terms: hormone, enzyme, pre- and probiotic
2. Describe the path food follows during digestion and be able to identify the organs of the digestive system if
given a diagram. Where does mechanical digestion occur? Where does chemical digestion occur?
3. Where are carbohydrates digested and absorbed?
4. Where are proteins digested and absorbed?
5. Where are fats digested and absorbed?
6. What five organs secrete digestive juices?
7. What 2 systems coordinate and regulate the processes of digestion and absorption.
8. What is peristalsis?
9. How does the structure of the small intestine aid in absorption?
10. What’s the role of the circulatory system?
11. What products of digestion are transported by the lymphatic system?
12. Unabsorbed materials are excreted in the feces. What 3 ways do waste products of metabolism leave the
body?

Ch. 4 Carbohydrates
1. Which carbohydrates are described as simple and which are complex?
 2
2. Three polysaccharides are important in nutrition. How are starch and glycogen similar and how do
they differ? Function? How do fibers differ from the other polysaccharides? Function?
3. Where do carbohydrates get digested and absorbed?
4. What are the possible fates of glucose in the body?
5. How does the body maintain blood glucose concentrations? What happens when blood glucose rises
too high or falls too low?
6. What’s the connection between sugar and dental caries?
7. Explain the Glycemic index: what are examples of carbs that are ranked high? Carbs that are ranked
low?
8. Define hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia. Is diabetes a hypo- or hyperglycemic condition?
9. Define lactose intolerance. How does it affect digestive processes?
10. How would you determine amount of your total dietary intake represented by carbohydrates?
a. You are on a 1500 kcal diet and trying to get the recommended 60% of your total kcal intake as
carbohydrates. How many grams of carbohydrates would this be?
b. Dave eats a total of 400 grams of carbohydrates in a day out of a total intake of 3000 kcal. What
percentage of total kcal are carbohydrates producing in his diet?
c. No more than 10% of total carbohydrates should be from simple sugars. Assuming Jane is on a
2000 kcal diet should get 300 g of carbohydrates per day, how many grams of sugar would
represent 10% of her total carbohydrates? There are about 4 grams/teaspoon of sugar. About how
many teaspoons of sugar would represent 10% of her total?
d. If there are 20 grams of sugar in a bowl of frosted flakes cereal, how many teaspoons of sugar is
this? What percent of Jane’s 10% of carbohydrates limit would this represent?

Ch. 10 Vitamins –Thiamin, riboflavin, and niacin (NRT)

1. What is a vitamin?
2. What do B vitamins have in common?
3. What is “enrichment” and what is “fortified?”

File in the chart

Thiamin riboflavin niacin

Chief functions

Deficiency
symptoms

Food sources

Ch. 5 Lipids
1. Name the three classes of lipids found in the body and in foods. What are “good fats” and what are “bad
fats”? Why do they have those designations?
2. What are the building blocks of fats? What are some functions of fats in the body?
3. What is the function of bile? Where is it manufactured?
4. What are the differences between saturated, unsaturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fats?
5. What does hydrogenation do to fat? What are trans-fatty acids and how do they influence heart disease
risk?
6. How do HDLs differ from LDLs?
7. Differentiate between “good” and “bad” cholesterol?
8. How are blood levels of LDLs and HDLs related to the risk of cardiovascular disease?
9. What are some examples of foods which are high in cholesterol? Do any plant foods contain cholesterol
naturally?
10. What is atherosclerosis and how can it be prevented? What are 3 dietary risk factors? Why does a high fat
diet (>30% total kcal) increase cancer risk?
11. What are the recommendations for dietary fat intake? Be able to convert from grams to % total kcal if you
are given total kcal and fat in grams. EX: Jane consumes about 2000 kcal per day. When she adds up her
 3
total fat and saturated fat consumption she finds that she usually eats about 80 grams of fat including 20
grams of saturated fat. How is she doing in relation to current recommendations for fat intake?
12. What are fat substitutes? What are their uses? What are they made of?

Ch. 10 Fat soluble vitamins

Vitamin A
1. What is beta-carotene?
2. What are 3 functions of preformed vitamin A?
3. Explain the connection between vitamin A and vision?
4. How serious is vitamin A toxicity?
5. What is an antioxidant?
6. What are 3 major food sources of preformed vitamin A and 3 food sources of beta-carotene?

Vitamin D
1. Why is vitamin D called the sunshine vitamin? Can this process of vitamin D production produce toxic
quantities?
2. What diseases are caused by vitamin D deficiency in children and in adults?
3. What are 2 sources of vitamin D in a diet? What could a vegan do in a cloudy climate such as Seattle to get
adequate vitamin D?

Vitamin K
1. What is vitamin K’s primary role in the body? What conditions may lead to vitamin k deficiency?

Ch. 6 Proteins
1. How does protein differ from carbohydrate and lipid?
2. What are the building blocks for proteins?
3. What foods are good sources of animal and plant protein?
4. What is an “essential amino acid?”
5. Where does protein digestion take place?
6. Proteins perform many functions in our bodies. A function of structural proteins?
7. What are some functions performed by regulatory proteins?
8. What is the recommendation regarding percentage of our daily kcals from protein? What % of our
daily calories should come from protein?
9. Be able to compute protein requirements. For example: If Jack weighs 165 lbs (and there are 2.2 lbs
per kilogram), what is his minimum recommended intake of protein given the standard of 0.8g/kg of
healthy body weight? (Assume he is not overweight.)

Ch. 10
Vitamin B6
1. What role does vitamin B6 have in protein metabolism?
2. What are good animal sources of B6? Good plant sources?

Folate
1. What is the function of folate? Which cells in the body are most vulnerable to deficiency?
2. What are good food sources of folate?

Vitamin B12
1. What is the major source of B12 in our food?
2. How can vegans get B12 in their diet?
3. What are the major functions of B12?
4. What is “intrinsic factor? What type of anemia is caused by lack of this factor?

Metabolism
1. Define metabolism, anabolism, and catabolism; give an example of each.
2. What is the function of ATP?
3. In what organelle is most ATP stored?
4. What are coenzymes and what is their role in metabolism? What are some coenzymes we’ve already
studied?
5. Define aerobic and anaerobic metabolism. Which requires oxygen? Which generates the greatest amount
of energy?
 4
6. Why do fats yield more ATP than carbohydrates do?
7. If we eat excess carbohydrate, protein, or fat, what does our body do with it?

8. How does the body get rid of excess nitrogen?

9. Under what circumstances does the body make ketones?
10. When a person is fasting, how does the body adapt?
11. When someone loses weight, what is that person actually losing?

Ch. 8-9 Energy and Weight management

1. What nutrients are sources of energy? Energy currency for your body metabolism is what molecule?
2. Define hunger, appetite, satiation and satiety. How do they each influence food intake?
3. Three types of activities are energy burning. Briefly identify them.
4. When you estimate your total energy expenditure you will use RMR. How does RMR differ from BMR?
5. What are some life events that increase energy requirements? Why do males require more energy than
females from about age 10 on?
6. What health risks are associated with being overfat?
7. Distinguish between apple and pear shaped bodies.
8. What are the risks associated with having too little body fat?
9. What is the Body Mass Index for someone who weighs 130 pounds and is 5 feet tall? In what risk group
would this person be?
10. What role may genetics (include leptin and ghrelin) play in regulating weight?
11. What organs are involved in regulating food intake and nutrient levels in the body?
12. What factors besides genes influence body weight?
13. What are reasonable strategies for achieving and maintaining weight loss?
14. What are reasonable strategies for gaining weight?
15. Distinguish between anorexia and bulimia.

Vitamin C
1. What are the primary sources of vitamin C?
2. What are some functions of vitamin C?
3. Deficiency causes what problems? Why do smokers need more vitamin C than nonsmokers?
4. Can vitamin C be toxic?

Vitamin E
1. Describe vitamin E’s role as an antioxidant. What are the chief symptoms of deficiency?

Ch. 12 Water and minerals

1. How important is water to our bodies? How long can we live without it? What percent of our bodies is
water?
2. What are our 3 major sources of water intake? What is the recommended fluid intake for adults under
normal dietary and environmental conditions?
3. What are 4 functions of water in your body?
4. What are 3 major ways in which our bodies lose water? Which accounts for the largest loss?
5. Why is water balance critical? Is water stored in ways similar to fat storage?
6. Broadly what is the role of kidneys?
7. How can dehydration affect our bodies?
8. Define mineral, trace element. Distinguish vitamins from minerals.
9. Which minerals are the major electrolytes? What are 2 primary functions of electrolytes?
10. How do processed and unprocessed foods compare in terms of electrolyte content?
11. What are some of the major functions of sodium in the body and why is a sodium deficiency rare in a
healthy person?
12. What happens to water in the body if blood sodium levels drop? When are people at risk of this
happening?
13. What is the UL for sodium?
14. What is the role for potassium in the body? Why is potassium loss dangerous? What kind of diet is low in
potassium? High in potassium?
15. What is the major source of calcium in the North American diet?
16. How are blood calcium levels regulated?
17. What is osteoporosis?
18. What are good sources of phosphorus in food?
19. What are the major functions of phosphorus?
 5
Ch. 13 Trace minerals
1. What are some interactions between trace elements and the diet that increase absorption?
2. List some interactions between trace elements and the diet that reduce their absorption?
3. Why does soil mineral content affect the trace element content of foods of plant origin?
4. What is iron deficiency anemia? Who is at risk?
5. What are some good sources of iron in food?
6. What is goiter and what causes it?
7. What are some of the ways trace minerals interact with each other and other nutrients?

Ch. 14 Fitness
1. What is aerobic exercise? What effect does it have on resting heart rate?
2. What is maximal heart rate? Compute your maximal heart rate.
3. What types of activity provide muscle strength training?
4. List your favorite 4 benefits of exercise.
5. What are the 2 high energy compounds found in muscle?
6. What 3 nutrients can provide energy for your body? (Kcals/g for each?)
7. What is anaerobic metabolism?
8. Which nutrient can provide energy without oxygen being present?
9. Which nutrient provides the most energy when you are resting? Which supplies the most energy when you
are doing high intensity exercise? Explain why.
10. When are sports drinks most apt to be necessary?
11. What is the relationship between body weight and energy used for activity?
12. Is there a difference between what an athlete and a less active person needs to eat as a source of energy?
13. As calorie needs go up to supply energy for an exerciser, is it necessary to start taking supplements to get
adequate vitamins and minerals?
14. What unpleasant things happen to people who get dehydrated?
15. Why do people eat carbohydrates before and after competing?
16. Describe your daily physical activities and how they compare with recommendations to be physically
active for at least 30 minutes a day or on most days of the week.

Ch. 15 Pregnancy and lactation

1. What are the 6 health habits a woman should develop prior to pregnancy
2. Why is folate important for a woman before and during pregnancy?
3. What are important nutrient and exercise recommendations for pregnant women?
4. What lifestyle practices can have an adverse effect on pregnancy?
5. What habits are incompatible with lactation?
6. What are the health effects of alcohol consumption on the fetus?

Ch. 16 Infancy, childhood, and adolescence

1. What are nutritional and other health benefits of breast feeding?
2. What are 2 factors that can increase risk of obesity during childhood and adolescence?
3. What are the nutritional needs of young children – such as energy, protein, fats, vitamins, minerals and
water?
4. Why are adequate intakes of calcium and vitamin D particularly important during adolescence?

Ch. 17 Adulthood and the later years

1. What are lifestyle behaviors that have an impact on health and aging.
2. In general terms, what are the energy and nutritional needs of older adults?
3. How does nutrition relate to vision and arthritis?
4. What are some reasons that older adults may be malnourished?

Ch. 18 Diet and Health

1. What is the connection between nutrition and today’s common diseases? What are some specific
examples?

Ch. 19 Food Safety

1. What types of microbes commonly cause food-borne illness, aka food poisoning?
2. Distinguish these terms: infectious agent and food intoxication. What are 2 examples of each?
3. What are some common ways of avoiding food poisoning in your home?
4. Identify these organizations and state the purview of each.
 6
FDA
EPA
USDA
CDC
5. If you buy cheese and then notice mold on it, whom do you notify?
If you get ill after eating at a restaurant, whom do you notify?

6. Which is most likely to have a higher concentration of contaminants, grain or meat & fish? Why?
7. Look at a loaf of whole wheat bread and list the additives. Why are they there?
8. Keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold. What’s the temperature range which puts the most foods at risk?
9. There are new technologies which are intended to make food safer. What is the goal of pasteurization?
Irradiation?
10. Our position on the food chain puts us at risk for environmental contaminants. Explain the concept of
bioaccumulation.
11. What are the risks and benefits of pesticides?
12. Are organically grown crops safer than conventional growing conditions?
13. What is the difference between a GRAS substance and a regulated food additive?
14. What is risk –benefit analysis?
15. There are several additives that manufactures insert into their products. What are some reasons they could
be considered helpful/healthful?
16. Which of the incidental additives do you think you may consume?
17. Look at the ingredient list for items in your cupboards for examples of additives.