Pediatric & Geriatric Nutrition Flashcards

A 6-month-old exclusively breastfed infant is at highest risk for deficiency of which nutrient?

Answer: Vitamin D

Breast milk is low in vitamin D, so exclusively breastfed infants should receive 400 IU/day supplementation per AAP guidelines.

Which anthropometric index is most appropriate for assessing nutritional status in children aged 2–18 years?

Answer: BMI-for-age percentile

BMI-for-age percentile accounts for normal growth patterns and is the standard screening tool for overweight and obesity in children 2–18 years.

An 80-year-old with poor appetite and muscle wasting has low serum albumin (2.8 g/dL). Which condition best explains the low albumin in this context?

Answer: Protein-energy malnutrition

Protein-energy malnutrition causes decreased hepatic synthesis of albumin, making it a marker of chronic nutritional depletion.

What is the recommended daily iron intake for a 12-month-old toddler?

Answer: 11 mg

The RDA for iron is 11 mg/day for children aged 7–12 months and remains at 7 mg/day for ages 1–3 years; however, for infants 7–12 months specifically the value is 11 mg.

Which factor most commonly contributes to dehydration risk in older adults?

Answer: Decreased thirst sensation

Aging blunts the thirst mechanism, so older adults often do not recognize or respond to early dehydration signals.

A premature infant at 28 weeks gestation requires nutritional support. Which feeding approach is preferred when enteral feeding is tolerated?

Answer: Pasteurized donor human milk fortified with human milk fortifier

Donor human milk with human milk fortifier is preferred for premature infants to reduce necrotizing enterocolitis risk while meeting higher protein and caloric needs.

Which vitamin deficiency in an elderly patient is most likely to present with megaloblastic anemia AND neurological symptoms?

Answer: Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 deficiency causes both megaloblastic anemia and subacute combined degeneration of the spinal cord; folate deficiency causes anemia but not the neurological component.