CNS CNS Nutrition Across the Lifespan 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which nutrient's adequate intake (AI) increases from 400 mcg/day to 600 mcg/day during pregnancy to prevent neural tube defects?
- Folate (folic acid) (Correct answer)
- Vitamin D
- Iron
- Iodine
Correct answer: Folate (folic acid)
Folate supplementation of 600 mcg DFE/day during pregnancy reduces neural tube defect risk; the USPSTF recommends 400–800 mcg of folic acid starting before conception.
Question 2: The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusive breastfeeding until what age, barring contraindications?
- 6 months (Correct answer)
- 3 months
- 9 months
- 12 months
Correct answer: 6 months
The AAP recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months of life, with continued breastfeeding alongside complementary foods for at least 12 months and as long as desired.
Question 3: Which mineral's requirement increases dramatically in pregnancy from 18 mg/day to 27 mg/day due to expanded blood volume and fetal demands?
- Iron (Correct answer)
- Calcium
- Zinc
- Magnesium
Correct answer: Iron
Iron needs increase in pregnancy to support hemoglobin synthesis for expanded maternal blood volume and to build fetal iron stores for the first 6 months of life.
Question 4: In healthy term infants, which vitamin is routinely administered as an intramuscular injection at birth to prevent hemorrhagic disease?
- Vitamin K (Correct answer)
- Vitamin D
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin E
Correct answer: Vitamin K
Newborns have very low vitamin K stores and limited gut microbiota to synthesize it; IM vitamin K1 injection prevents vitamin K deficiency bleeding (VKDB).
Question 5: According to DRI guidelines, what is the recommended daily calcium intake for adolescents aged 9–18 years?
- 1,300 mg/day (Correct answer)
- 1,000 mg/day
- 1,200 mg/day
- 800 mg/day
Correct answer: 1,300 mg/day
Adolescents require 1,300 mg/day of calcium — the highest RDA across all age groups — because up to 90% of peak bone mass is accrued during this period.
Question 6: Which condition in late pregnancy, characterized by protein-restricted diets and poor nutrient density, is associated with increased adult offspring risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes?
- Developmental origins of health and disease (DOHaD) / fetal programming (Correct answer)
- Gestational diabetes
- Preeclampsia
- Iron deficiency anemia
Correct answer: Developmental origins of health and disease (DOHaD) / fetal programming
The DOHaD hypothesis posits that maternal nutritional deprivation during critical windows programs fetal metabolism, increasing offspring risk of chronic metabolic disease.
CNS CNS Nutrition Across the Lifespan 1
Which nutrient's adequate intake (AI) increases from 400 mcg/day to 600 mcg/day during pregnancy to prevent neural tube defects?