BHS Nutrition and Dietetics 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which enzyme initiates starch digestion in the mouth?
- Pepsin
- Salivary amylase (Correct answer)
- Pancreatic lipase
- Sucrase
Correct answer: Salivary amylase
Salivary amylase (ptyalin) begins hydrolysis of dietary starch to shorter polysaccharides and maltose in the oral cavity.
Question 2: Pellagra, characterized by the '4 Ds' (dermatitis, diarrhea, dementia, death), results from a deficiency of which B vitamin?
- Thiamine (B1)
- Riboflavin (B2)
- Niacin (B3) (Correct answer)
- Pyridoxine (B6)
Correct answer: Niacin (B3)
Pellagra is caused by niacin (B3) deficiency, often compounded by inadequate tryptophan, its dietary precursor.
Question 3: The Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) term that represents the average daily intake sufficient to meet the needs of half of all healthy individuals in a group is the:
- Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA)
- Adequate Intake (AI)
- Estimated Average Requirement (EAR) (Correct answer)
- Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL)
Correct answer: Estimated Average Requirement (EAR)
The EAR is the median intake that meets the needs of 50% of healthy individuals and is used to set the RDA.
Question 4: A client with newly diagnosed celiac disease asks which grain they can safely consume. The dietitian should recommend:
- Wheat berries
- Spelt
- Quinoa (Correct answer)
- Barley
Correct answer: Quinoa
Quinoa is a naturally gluten-free pseudocereal safe for individuals with celiac disease, unlike wheat, spelt, and barley.
Question 5: Which lipoprotein is primarily responsible for transporting dietary fat from the intestine to peripheral tissues?
- VLDL
- LDL
- HDL
- Chylomicrons (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Chylomicrons
Chylomicrons are assembled in intestinal enterocytes to transport dietary triglycerides and fat-soluble vitamins via the lymphatic system to peripheral tissues.
Question 6: The Mifflin-St Jeor equation is most commonly used in clinical dietetics to estimate:
- Total daily caloric expenditure
- Resting metabolic rate (Correct answer)
- Thermic effect of food
- Physical activity level
Correct answer: Resting metabolic rate
The Mifflin-St Jeor equation estimates resting metabolic rate (RMR) based on weight, height, age, and sex.
Question 7: Which mineral is a cofactor for the antioxidant enzyme glutathione peroxidase?
- Zinc
- Copper
- Manganese
- Selenium (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Selenium
Selenium is an essential component of glutathione peroxidase, which reduces hydrogen peroxide and lipid hydroperoxides.
BHS Nutrition and Dietetics 3
Which enzyme initiates starch digestion in the mouth?