CGRN GI Nutrition and Therapeutic Diets 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which diet is most appropriate for a patient with acute diverticulitis?
- Clear liquid diet (Correct answer)
- High-fiber diet
- Full liquid diet
- Regular diet
Correct answer: Clear liquid diet
A clear liquid diet rests the bowel and reduces inflammation during acute diverticulitis flares.
Question 2: A patient with Crohn's disease is at highest risk for deficiency of which vitamin due to terminal ileum involvement?
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin B12 (Correct answer)
- Vitamin D
- Vitamin K
Correct answer: Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 is absorbed exclusively in the terminal ileum, which is frequently diseased in Crohn's disease.
Question 3: Which nutritional support route is preferred when a patient's GI tract is functional but oral intake is insufficient?
- Total parenteral nutrition (TPN)
- Enteral nutrition via nasogastric tube (Correct answer)
- Peripheral parenteral nutrition
- IV dextrose only
Correct answer: Enteral nutrition via nasogastric tube
Enteral nutrition is preferred over parenteral nutrition when the GI tract is functional because it preserves gut mucosal integrity.
Question 4: A low-residue diet is indicated for which patient?
- Patient with chronic constipation
- Patient with irritable bowel syndrome — diarrhea predominant
- Patient preparing for colonoscopy
- Patient post-bowel resection anastomosis (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Patient post-bowel resection anastomosis
A low-residue diet reduces stool bulk and is recommended after bowel anastomosis to minimize stress on the surgical site.
Question 5: Which electrolyte imbalance is most commonly associated with prolonged nasogastric suctioning?
- Hyperkalemia
- Hyponatremia
- Hypokalemia (Correct answer)
- Hypermagnesemia
Correct answer: Hypokalemia
Prolonged NG suction removes gastric fluid rich in potassium, leading to hypokalemia.
Question 6: In a patient with hepatic encephalopathy, which dietary modification is recommended?
- High-protein diet to promote healing
- Protein restriction to 20 g/day
- Moderate protein intake with preference for branched-chain amino acids (Correct answer)
- Eliminate all fats from the diet
Correct answer: Moderate protein intake with preference for branched-chain amino acids
Current guidelines recommend moderate protein (1.2–1.5 g/kg/day) with branched-chain amino acids rather than severe protein restriction.
CGRN GI Nutrition and Therapeutic Diets 1
Which diet is most appropriate for a patient with acute diverticulitis?