CSSD Weight Management 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A combat sport athlete uses diuretics to make weight. The PRIMARY immediate risk the CSSD should communicate is:
- Fat mass will rapidly return after weigh-in
- Potentially life-threatening electrolyte imbalances and cardiac arrhythmias (Correct answer)
- The method is banned by most governing bodies
- Decreased testosterone levels
Correct answer: Potentially life-threatening electrolyte imbalances and cardiac arrhythmias
Diuretic use can cause severe hypokalemia and hyponatremia, predisposing athletes to cardiac arrhythmias and sudden cardiac events.
Question 2: Which macronutrient distribution BEST supports both fat loss and maintenance of glycolytic training capacity in athletes?
- High fat (60%), moderate protein (25%), low carbohydrate (15%)
- High protein (30%), moderate carbohydrate (45%), moderate fat (25%) (Correct answer)
- High carbohydrate (65%), low protein (15%), low fat (20%)
- Equal distribution of all three macronutrients (33% each)
Correct answer: High protein (30%), moderate carbohydrate (45%), moderate fat (25%)
A moderate-to-high protein intake with sufficient carbohydrate preserves glycolytic fuel availability and muscle mass during a caloric deficit.
Question 3: A basketball player is cutting weight for the season and asks about using a fat burner supplement. The CSSD should PRIMARILY advise:
- Fat burners are effective and safe when used as directed
- Most fat burner supplements lack efficacy evidence and carry risk of banned substance contamination (Correct answer)
- Caffeine-based fat burners are approved by all sports governing bodies
- Supplements are unnecessary but not harmful
Correct answer: Most fat burner supplements lack efficacy evidence and carry risk of banned substance contamination
Most fat burner supplements are not supported by strong evidence, and many carry risks including contamination with prohibited substances detected in third-party testing.
Question 4: For an athlete gaining fat in the off-season, the MOST appropriate CSSD strategy is:
- Recommend a very strict diet immediately to prevent further gain
- Adjust energy intake to account for reduced training load while maintaining nutritional quality (Correct answer)
- Tell the athlete not to worry since off-season weight gain is always muscle
- Prescribe the same competition diet year-round
Correct answer: Adjust energy intake to account for reduced training load while maintaining nutritional quality
Off-season fat gain is commonly due to unchanged eating habits despite reduced training load; adjusting intake to match reduced expenditure prevents unnecessary fat accumulation.
Question 5: Which statement about visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and athletic performance is MOST accurate?
- VAT is metabolically inert and does not affect performance
- Elevated VAT is associated with increased inflammatory cytokines that can impair recovery and health (Correct answer)
- Athletes never accumulate significant VAT due to high training volumes
- VAT cannot be measured without invasive procedures
Correct answer: Elevated VAT is associated with increased inflammatory cytokines that can impair recovery and health
VAT is highly metabolically active, secreting pro-inflammatory adipokines that can elevate systemic inflammation and negatively impact recovery and cardiovascular health.
Question 6: A 50-year-old masters swimmer reports difficulty maintaining weight compared to when she was younger. The CSSD should attribute this PRIMARILY to:
- A psychological shift in food preference with age
- Age-related decline in RMR, reduced muscle mass (sarcopenia), and decreased NEAT (Correct answer)
- Menopause-related increase in appetite hormones only
- Reduced absorption of macronutrients in the gut
Correct answer: Age-related decline in RMR, reduced muscle mass (sarcopenia), and decreased NEAT
Aging reduces resting metabolic rate through sarcopenia and decreased NEAT, making weight maintenance harder without corresponding reductions in energy intake.
Question 7: When monitoring body composition changes in an athlete over time, the CSSD should PRIMARILY track:
- BMI changes monthly
- Fat mass and fat-free mass independently using consistent methodology (Correct answer)
- Scale weight alone as the key metric
- Percent body fat only, ignoring absolute changes in lean mass
Correct answer: Fat mass and fat-free mass independently using consistent methodology
Tracking fat mass and fat-free mass separately with consistent methodology provides actionable data on whether changes reflect fat loss, muscle gain, or both.
CSSD Weight Management 5
A combat sport athlete uses diuretics to make weight.
The PRIMARY immediate risk the CSSD should communicate is: