CSN CSN Weight Management & Body Composition 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following statements about BMI is most accurate when applied to athletes?
- BMI is highly accurate for assessing body composition in all athletes
- BMI can overestimate body fat in muscular athletes because it does not distinguish fat mass from lean mass (Correct answer)
- BMI underestimates body fat in all strength athletes
- BMI is the preferred measure for weight classification in sport nutrition practice
Correct answer: BMI can overestimate body fat in muscular athletes because it does not distinguish fat mass from lean mass
BMI is a height-weight ratio that cannot differentiate fat mass from muscle mass, making it an inaccurate body composition indicator for athletes with high lean mass.
Question 2: What is the primary hormonal mechanism through which chronic low energy availability suppresses female reproductive function?
- Elevated insulin inhibiting ovarian function
- Decreased GnRH pulse frequency suppressing LH and FSH, leading to hypothalamic amenorrhea (Correct answer)
- Elevated cortisol directly blocking estrogen receptors
- Low testosterone causing follicular arrest
Correct answer: Decreased GnRH pulse frequency suppressing LH and FSH, leading to hypothalamic amenorrhea
Low energy availability reduces GnRH pulsatility, suppressing LH and FSH secretion and leading to hypothalamic amenorrhea and estrogen deficiency.
Question 3: During a weight-loss phase, which dietary approach best protects against muscle loss in resistance-trained athletes?
- Very low carbohydrate diet with moderate protein (0.8 g/kg)
- High protein intake (2.3–3.1 g/kg lean body mass/day) with maintained resistance training volume (Correct answer)
- Intermittent fasting without protein targets
- High carbohydrate with reduced total protein intake
Correct answer: High protein intake (2.3–3.1 g/kg lean body mass/day) with maintained resistance training volume
Protein intakes of 2.3–3.1 g/kg LBM/day during energy restriction, alongside continued resistance training, are most effective at preventing lean mass loss.
Question 4: What does the term 'set point theory' suggest about long-term body weight regulation?
- The body has no regulatory mechanism for weight
- The body actively defends a biologically preferred weight range through metabolic and hormonal adjustments (Correct answer)
- Body weight is entirely determined by conscious eating choices
- Set point refers only to blood glucose regulation
Correct answer: The body actively defends a biologically preferred weight range through metabolic and hormonal adjustments
Set point theory proposes that the body uses neuroendocrine feedback (e.g., leptin, ghrelin, metabolic rate changes) to defend a preferred weight range, making sustained weight loss physiologically challenging.
Question 5: Which biomarker, when chronically suppressed, is most indicative of low energy availability in a female athlete?
- Elevated cortisol
- Suppressed triiodothyronine (T3) (Correct answer)
- Elevated ferritin
- Suppressed insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1)
Correct answer: Suppressed triiodothyronine (T3)
Chronically suppressed T3 is a sensitive early marker of low energy availability, reflecting the body's downregulation of thyroid function to conserve energy.
Question 6: A sports nutritionist should suspect disordered eating in an athlete exhibiting which combination of signs?
- High energy intake, consistent body weight, and normal menstrual cycles
- Restrictive eating patterns, excessive exercise beyond training plan, recurrent stress fractures, and menstrual irregularities (Correct answer)
- Occasional overeating followed by normal dietary habits
- High protein intake and structured meal timing
Correct answer: Restrictive eating patterns, excessive exercise beyond training plan, recurrent stress fractures, and menstrual irregularities
The triad of restrictive eating, over-exercise, recurrent stress fractures, and menstrual disruption is a classic cluster of RED-S / disordered eating warning signs requiring clinical referral.
CSN CSN Weight Management & Body Composition 2
Which of the following statements about BMI is most accurate when applied to athletes?