Clinical Nutritionist CCN Clinical Assessment and Nutritional Diagnosis 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What does the subjective global assessment (SGA) primarily evaluate?
- Medical history, dietary intake, GI symptoms, functional capacity, and physical examination (Correct answer)
- Laboratory values and anthropometric data only
- Dietary recall plus BMI calculation
- Bioelectrical impedance analysis results
Correct answer: Medical history, dietary intake, GI symptoms, functional capacity, and physical examination
SGA is a validated bedside tool that categorizes nutritional status using history (weight change, dietary intake, GI symptoms, functional capacity) and physical examination (fat/muscle wasting, edema).
Question 2: Which dietary assessment method has the highest accuracy for estimating actual nutrient intake over multiple days?
- Multiple-day weighed food record (Correct answer)
- Single 24-hour recall
- Food frequency questionnaire
- Diet history interview
Correct answer: Multiple-day weighed food record
A weighed food record in which the subject weighs all food before eating provides the most accurate quantitative estimate of nutrient intake when conducted over 3-7 days.
Question 3: A serum albumin level below which threshold indicates severe hypoalbuminemia associated with malnutrition?
- 2.1 g/dL (Correct answer)
- 3.5 g/dL
- 4.0 g/dL
- 2.8 g/dL
Correct answer: 2.1 g/dL
Serum albumin below 2.1 g/dL indicates severe hypoalbuminemia; values between 2.1-2.8 g/dL suggest moderate depletion, though albumin also reflects inflammation and hydration status.
Question 4: Which method is considered the gold standard for measuring body composition in clinical research?
- Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) (Correct answer)
- Bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA)
- Skinfold calipers
- Underwater weighing
Correct answer: Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA)
DEXA is the gold standard for body composition measurement, providing precise quantification of fat mass, lean mass, and bone mineral density with low radiation exposure.
Question 5: Handgrip strength measurement is used in nutritional assessment to evaluate which parameter?
- Skeletal muscle function and sarcopenia risk (Correct answer)
- Cardiovascular fitness
- Bone density
- Visceral fat mass
Correct answer: Skeletal muscle function and sarcopenia risk
Handgrip strength is a validated surrogate measure of overall muscle strength and is used to screen for sarcopenia and functional decline associated with malnutrition.
Question 6: Which marker is most useful for assessing iron stores in a nutritional evaluation?
- Serum ferritin (Correct answer)
- Hemoglobin
- Mean corpuscular volume (MCV)
- Total iron-binding capacity (TIBC)
Correct answer: Serum ferritin
Serum ferritin reflects iron stores most directly, with low levels indicating iron depletion before anemia develops, making it the earliest indicator of iron deficiency.
Clinical Nutritionist CCN Clinical Assessment and Nutritional Diagnosis 2
What does the subjective global assessment (SGA) primarily evaluate?