CDE Nutrition Therapy 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which dietary fat type is most strongly associated with increased LDL cholesterol in people with diabetes?
- Monounsaturated fat
- Polyunsaturated fat
- Saturated fat (Correct answer)
- Omega-3 fatty acids
Correct answer: Saturated fat
Saturated fat raises LDL cholesterol and should be limited to less than 10% of total calories in people with diabetes.
Question 2: A patient with type 2 diabetes asks about using a low-carbohydrate diet. What is the minimum carbohydrate intake generally recommended to prevent ketosis in most adults?
- 50 g/day
- 130 g/day (Correct answer)
- 200 g/day
- 250 g/day
Correct answer: 130 g/day
The RDA for carbohydrate is 130 g/day, which is the minimum needed to supply the brain with glucose without relying on ketone bodies.
Question 3: Which sweetener, when consumed in large amounts, can cause a laxative effect and may raise blood glucose slightly in some individuals?
- Stevia
- Saccharin
- Sugar alcohols (polyols) (Correct answer)
- Aspartame
Correct answer: Sugar alcohols (polyols)
Sugar alcohols are partially absorbed and can cause GI distress in large amounts; they also have a modest effect on blood glucose.
Question 4: The glycemic index (GI) of a food is primarily determined by:
- Total calorie content
- Fat content
- How quickly it raises blood glucose compared to pure glucose (Correct answer)
- The fiber-to-sugar ratio
Correct answer: How quickly it raises blood glucose compared to pure glucose
GI ranks foods on a scale of 0–100 based on how quickly and how much they raise blood glucose compared to a reference food (pure glucose or white bread).
Question 5: For a patient with diabetic nephropathy and an eGFR of 30 mL/min, which dietary modification is most critical?
- Increase protein to 1.5 g/kg/day
- Restrict protein to 0.6–0.8 g/kg/day (Correct answer)
- Eliminate all carbohydrates
- Increase saturated fat intake
Correct answer: Restrict protein to 0.6–0.8 g/kg/day
Protein restriction to 0.6–0.8 g/kg/day is recommended for CKD patients to slow progression of nephropathy.
Question 6: Which vitamin or mineral supplementation is specifically recommended for patients with type 2 diabetes who are on long-term metformin therapy?
- Vitamin D
- Vitamin B12 (Correct answer)
- Magnesium
- Zinc
Correct answer: Vitamin B12
Metformin reduces vitamin B12 absorption, so long-term users should have B12 levels monitored and supplement if deficient.
Question 7: When counseling a patient about the Mediterranean diet for diabetes management, which food group is emphasized as the primary fat source?
- Butter and cream
- Coconut oil
- Olive oil (Correct answer)
- Vegetable shortening
Correct answer: Olive oil
The Mediterranean diet uses olive oil as the main fat source, providing heart-healthy monounsaturated fats beneficial for people with diabetes.
CDE Nutrition Therapy 2
Which dietary fat type is most strongly associated with increased LDL cholesterol in people with diabetes?