Nutrition and Diet Therapy Flashcards

Which anthropometric measurement is used to estimate stature in elderly or bedridden patients when standing height cannot be obtained?

Answer: Knee height

Knee height measurement, using a knee-height caliper, reliably estimates stature in patients who cannot stand upright.

The Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST) evaluates a patient based on which three components?

Answer: BMI, unintentional weight loss, and acute disease effect on intake

MUST uses BMI, percentage of unintentional weight loss over 3–6 months, and acute disease effect on nutritional intake to score malnutrition risk.

A Saudi nurse counseling a mother with an exclusively breastfed newborn should recommend which supplement starting within the first few days of life?

Answer: Vitamin D drops starting within the first few days

Breast milk is low in Vitamin D; the WHO and Saudi MOH recommend Vitamin D supplementation for exclusively breastfed infants from early life.

Which serum protein is the best indicator of chronic, long-standing malnutrition due to its prolonged half-life?

Answer: Albumin (half-life 21 days)

Albumin's 21-day half-life means its serum level reflects nutritional status over the past several weeks, making it an indicator of chronic malnutrition.

A child with marasmus, a form of severe acute malnutrition, would present with which characteristic clinical finding?

Answer: Severe wasting of muscle and fat with relatively preserved serum proteins

Marasmus results from severe caloric deprivation, producing marked wasting but relatively preserved albumin, unlike kwashiorkor which features edema and hypoalbuminemia.

Adequate postoperative protein intake is most critical for which physiological purpose?

Answer: Supporting wound healing and maintaining immune function

Protein is the primary substrate for collagen synthesis during wound healing and for immunoglobulin production, both essential for postoperative recovery.

A patient with chronic kidney disease (CKD) who is NOT yet on dialysis should generally follow which dietary protein guideline?

Answer: Protein restriction to approximately 0.6–0.8 g/kg/day

Restricting dietary protein to 0.6–0.8 g/kg/day in pre-dialysis CKD reduces nitrogenous waste accumulation and may slow disease progression.