CDE Nutrition Therapy 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A patient with type 1 diabetes uses carbohydrate counting to determine insulin doses. They eat a meal with 60g of carbohydrate and their insulin-to-carb ratio is 1:15. How many units of rapid-acting insulin should they take?
- 2 units
- 4 units (Correct answer)
- 6 units
- 8 units
Correct answer: 4 units
60g ÷ 15 = 4 units of rapid-acting insulin needed to cover this meal.
Question 2: Which dietary pattern has the strongest evidence for improving cardiovascular outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes?
- High-protein, low-fat diet
- Mediterranean-style diet (Correct answer)
- Raw food diet
- Intermittent fasting
Correct answer: Mediterranean-style diet
The Mediterranean diet has the strongest evidence base for cardiovascular risk reduction in people with type 2 diabetes.
Question 3: What is the recommended daily sodium intake for people with diabetes who have hypertension?
- Less than 1,000 mg/day
- Less than 2,300 mg/day (Correct answer)
- Less than 3,500 mg/day
- No restriction needed
Correct answer: Less than 2,300 mg/day
ADA recommends sodium intake of less than 2,300 mg/day for people with diabetes, consistent with general population guidelines for hypertension.
Question 4: A patient asks whether eating protein with carbohydrates will slow the rise in blood glucose. What is the most accurate response?
- Protein has no effect on blood glucose response
- Protein speeds up glucose absorption
- Protein can slow gastric emptying and blunt the post-meal glucose spike (Correct answer)
- Protein converts directly to glucose at a 1:1 ratio
Correct answer: Protein can slow gastric emptying and blunt the post-meal glucose spike
Protein slows gastric emptying and can stimulate insulin secretion, both of which help moderate post-meal blood glucose elevations.
Question 5: When teaching a patient with diabetes about label reading, what does the 'Total Carbohydrate' listing on a Nutrition Facts label include?
- Only sugars
- Sugars and fiber only
- Sugars, fiber, and starch (Correct answer)
- Sugars, fiber, starch, and protein
Correct answer: Sugars, fiber, and starch
Total Carbohydrate on the Nutrition Facts label includes all carbohydrates: sugars, dietary fiber, and starches.
Question 6: Which fruit has the LOWEST glycemic index and is generally considered the best choice for blood glucose management?
- Watermelon
- Dates
- Cherries (Correct answer)
- Pineapple
Correct answer: Cherries
Cherries have a low GI of approximately 20–22, making them one of the best fruit choices for blood glucose management.
Question 7: What is the primary goal of Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT) for a patient newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes who is overweight?
- Eliminate all dietary fat
- Achieve and maintain a healthy weight while improving metabolic outcomes (Correct answer)
- Consume only low-glycemic foods
- Eliminate all refined carbohydrates permanently
Correct answer: Achieve and maintain a healthy weight while improving metabolic outcomes
MNT for overweight patients with type 2 diabetes focuses on modest, sustainable weight loss to improve blood glucose, lipids, and blood pressure.
CDE Nutrition Therapy 3
A patient with type 1 diabetes uses carbohydrate counting to determine insulin doses.
They eat a meal with 60g of carbohydrate and their insulin-to-carb ratio is 1:15.
How many units of rapid-acting insulin should they take?