Pediatric & Geriatric Nutrition Flashcards

A child with celiac disease is at greatest long-term nutritional risk for deficiency of which mineral?

Answer: Calcium

Celiac disease damages the small intestinal mucosa where calcium is primarily absorbed, increasing fracture risk and osteoporosis if not managed.

What is the primary nutritional concern when introducing complementary foods to a 6-month-old breastfed infant?

Answer: Sufficient iron and zinc

After 6 months, breast milk alone cannot meet iron and zinc demands, making iron-rich complementary foods a priority.

An elderly woman on warfarin asks about her diet. Which nutrient requires careful monitoring because it can antagonize her anticoagulant therapy?

Answer: Vitamin K

Vitamin K is essential for synthesis of clotting factors and directly counteracts warfarin's anticoagulant mechanism.

Which condition in older adults is characterized by loss of skeletal muscle mass, strength, and function?

Answer: Sarcopenia

Sarcopenia is the age-related decline in skeletal muscle mass and function and is a major contributor to disability in older adults.

A 3-year-old presents with a distended abdomen, edema, and skin lesions, but adequate caloric intake. The most likely diagnosis is:

Answer: Kwashiorkor

Kwashiorkor results from severe protein deficiency with relatively adequate caloric intake, presenting with edema, skin/hair changes, and fatty liver.

In a geriatric patient, which serum marker reflects short-term protein status better than albumin?

Answer: Prealbumin (transthyretin)

Prealbumin has a half-life of 2–3 days vs. albumin's 20 days, making it more sensitive to recent nutritional changes.

Which omega-3 fatty acid is critical for brain and retinal development in infants and is preferentially found in breast milk?

Answer: DHA (docosahexaenoic acid)

DHA accumulates rapidly in the brain and retina during the third trimester and early infancy, and breast milk provides preformed DHA unlike most standard formulas.