Nutrition and Diet Therapy Flashcards

A client with chronic alcohol use disorder shows confusion, ataxia, and nystagmus. Deficiency of which vitamin is most likely?

Answer: Thiamine (B1)

Thiamine deficiency causes Wernicke encephalopathy, common in chronic alcohol use.

A client taking warfarin asks about diet. Which food group should the nurse teach the client to eat in consistent amounts?

Answer: Leafy green vegetables

Leafy greens are high in vitamin K, which counteracts warfarin, so intake must stay consistent.

Which food provides the most readily absorbed (heme) iron?

Answer: Lean beef

Heme iron comes from animal sources such as red meat and is absorbed better than plant iron.

The nurse teaches a client with iron-deficiency anemia to take iron with orange juice because vitamin C enhances absorption of:

Answer: Non-heme iron

Ascorbic acid converts non-heme iron to a more absorbable form.

How many kilocalories does 1 gram of fat provide?

Answer: 9 kcal

Fat provides 9 kcal/g, versus 4 kcal/g for carbohydrate and protein.

A client is diagnosed with pernicious anemia. Which treatment does the nurse anticipate?

Answer: Intramuscular vitamin B12 injections

Lack of intrinsic factor prevents oral B12 absorption, so parenteral B12 is required for life.

Adequate folic acid intake before conception and in early pregnancy primarily reduces the risk of:

Answer: Neural tube defects

Folic acid (400 mcg/day) significantly lowers the incidence of neural tube defects like spina bifida.