NUSC 1165 Summer 2026/2027 Updated Final Exam
300 points total; 30% of final grade
Due July 25, 2019 by midnight (EST time zone)
Name: Xiaolin Shen
Instructions: Work individually – all answers should be your own – plagiarism will not be
tolerated. Once you are finished answering the questions below, save your file as
“FinalExamlastname”. You may save this file in Rich Text Format (RTF) or a version of
Microsoft Word. Email your instructor your completed final exam at
by the due date listed above.
Background: Recently, results were published from a large-scale global epidemiological
nutrition study, The Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) (links
below). Based on their collected data, the GBD authors reported that approximately 1 in 5 deaths
worldwide (~11 million) are linked to unhealthy eating habits. About 10 million of these deaths
were from cardiovascular disease. Findings showed that suboptimal diet is responsible for more
deaths than any other risks globally, including tobacco smoking. In 2017, consumption of nearly
all “healthy” foods and nutrients was suboptimal, whereas that of all “unhealthy” items exceeded
the recommended level. More than half of all diet-related deaths and two-thirds of diet-related
disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) were attributable to just three factors: high intake of
sodium (~3 million deaths; ~70 million DALYs), low intake of whole grains (~3 million deaths;
~82 million DALYs), and low intake of fruit (~2 million deaths; ~65 million DALYs). One
DALY can be thought of as one lost year of "healthy" life.
Looking past issues with this type of observational research (e.g., lack of causality, errors with
self-reported dietary intake), these findings are consistent with what we have learned about the
health impacts of these foods/nutrients using a variety of nutrition research methods.
Link to original research article: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-
6736(19)30041-8/fulltext
Link to commentary on original research article:
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(19)30500-8/fulltext
Link to press release on research article:
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/04/190403193702.htm
Questions (60 points each):
1. High intake of sodium contributed to the greatest number of deaths, with most coming
from cardiovascular disease (Figure 3 in the first link, the Lancet research article). Figure
1 (bottom right panel) of the Lancet research article shows that the 2017 global intake of
sodium in grams per day (dotted line; just under 6 grams average intake per day) is well
above the optimal intake (solid line and shaded area; 3 grams per day). When answering
the questions below, refer to your textbook (Chapter 10: Water & Electrolytes; Chapter 5:
Lipids, section on heart disease), learning module 9 (Water and the Minerals), the reading
material links above, as well as other reliable internet/book sources. Be sure to cite your
sources.
, A. Explain the possible link between high sodium intake and early death,
with a particular focus on cardiovascular disease.
If people consume over 2300mg of sodium per day, blood pressure
would increase with high sodium intake. There is a direct linear
relationship between high sodium intake and high risks of death.
Because high sodium intake leads to high blood pressure, which is one
of the leading risk factors for cardiovascular disease. At this point, we
can say that high sodium intake cause early death, such as
cardiovascular disease.
B. What dietary strategies and/or patterns would be helpful to follow to
reduce sodium or salt intake in the American diet?
Sodium intake could be reduce by limiting processed foods and
prepare food with less salt. Having enough fruits and vegetables
because they have rich potassium and low salt. Meanwhile, people
should also eat foods like low-fat dairy products and lean meat,
poultry, and fish because these foods offer lots of fiber, potassium,
magnesium, and calcium intake, as well as have low intake of total fat
and saturated fat.
2. Low intake of whole grains contributed to the 2nd highest number of deaths, with most
coming from cardiovascular disease (Figure 3 in the first link, the Lancet research
article). Figure 1 (top right of panel) of the Lancet research article shows that the 2017
global intake of whole grains in grams per day (dotted line; just under 30 grams average
intake per day) is well below the optimal intake (solid line and shaded area; 125 grams
per day). When answering the questions below, refer to your textbook (Chapter 4:
Carbohydrates; Chapter 5: Lipids, section on heart disease), learning module 4
(Carbohydrates), the reading material links above, as well as other reliable internet/book
sources. Be sure to cite your sources.
A. Explain the possible link between low whole grain intake and early death,
with a particular focus on cardiovascular disease. Be sure to mention the
nutrients/food components found in whole grains that could impact death
from cardiovascular disease.
In whole grain foods, nutrients such as fiber, vitamins, minerals, and
phytochemicals can be found. The low whole grain intake increases
the risk of heart disease, caner, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and
cardiovascular disease. Because fiber intake is able to prevent people
from developing diverticula and diverticulitis and reduces the risk of
colon cancer. In this way, death resulting from colon cancer can be
reduced.
B. What dietary strategies and/or patterns would be helpful to follow to
increase whole grain intake in the American diet?
People could eat more whole grain foods like the bran, the germ, and
the endosperm. Lots of such such as oatmeal, whole wheat, whole oats,
popcorn, brown rice, wild rice, rolled oats, whole grain corn, whole
rye, buckwheat, millet, bulgur, whole grain barley, triticale, sorghum,
300 points total; 30% of final grade
Due July 25, 2019 by midnight (EST time zone)
Name: Xiaolin Shen
Instructions: Work individually – all answers should be your own – plagiarism will not be
tolerated. Once you are finished answering the questions below, save your file as
“FinalExamlastname”. You may save this file in Rich Text Format (RTF) or a version of
Microsoft Word. Email your instructor your completed final exam at
by the due date listed above.
Background: Recently, results were published from a large-scale global epidemiological
nutrition study, The Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) (links
below). Based on their collected data, the GBD authors reported that approximately 1 in 5 deaths
worldwide (~11 million) are linked to unhealthy eating habits. About 10 million of these deaths
were from cardiovascular disease. Findings showed that suboptimal diet is responsible for more
deaths than any other risks globally, including tobacco smoking. In 2017, consumption of nearly
all “healthy” foods and nutrients was suboptimal, whereas that of all “unhealthy” items exceeded
the recommended level. More than half of all diet-related deaths and two-thirds of diet-related
disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) were attributable to just three factors: high intake of
sodium (~3 million deaths; ~70 million DALYs), low intake of whole grains (~3 million deaths;
~82 million DALYs), and low intake of fruit (~2 million deaths; ~65 million DALYs). One
DALY can be thought of as one lost year of "healthy" life.
Looking past issues with this type of observational research (e.g., lack of causality, errors with
self-reported dietary intake), these findings are consistent with what we have learned about the
health impacts of these foods/nutrients using a variety of nutrition research methods.
Link to original research article: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-
6736(19)30041-8/fulltext
Link to commentary on original research article:
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(19)30500-8/fulltext
Link to press release on research article:
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/04/190403193702.htm
Questions (60 points each):
1. High intake of sodium contributed to the greatest number of deaths, with most coming
from cardiovascular disease (Figure 3 in the first link, the Lancet research article). Figure
1 (bottom right panel) of the Lancet research article shows that the 2017 global intake of
sodium in grams per day (dotted line; just under 6 grams average intake per day) is well
above the optimal intake (solid line and shaded area; 3 grams per day). When answering
the questions below, refer to your textbook (Chapter 10: Water & Electrolytes; Chapter 5:
Lipids, section on heart disease), learning module 9 (Water and the Minerals), the reading
material links above, as well as other reliable internet/book sources. Be sure to cite your
sources.
, A. Explain the possible link between high sodium intake and early death,
with a particular focus on cardiovascular disease.
If people consume over 2300mg of sodium per day, blood pressure
would increase with high sodium intake. There is a direct linear
relationship between high sodium intake and high risks of death.
Because high sodium intake leads to high blood pressure, which is one
of the leading risk factors for cardiovascular disease. At this point, we
can say that high sodium intake cause early death, such as
cardiovascular disease.
B. What dietary strategies and/or patterns would be helpful to follow to
reduce sodium or salt intake in the American diet?
Sodium intake could be reduce by limiting processed foods and
prepare food with less salt. Having enough fruits and vegetables
because they have rich potassium and low salt. Meanwhile, people
should also eat foods like low-fat dairy products and lean meat,
poultry, and fish because these foods offer lots of fiber, potassium,
magnesium, and calcium intake, as well as have low intake of total fat
and saturated fat.
2. Low intake of whole grains contributed to the 2nd highest number of deaths, with most
coming from cardiovascular disease (Figure 3 in the first link, the Lancet research
article). Figure 1 (top right of panel) of the Lancet research article shows that the 2017
global intake of whole grains in grams per day (dotted line; just under 30 grams average
intake per day) is well below the optimal intake (solid line and shaded area; 125 grams
per day). When answering the questions below, refer to your textbook (Chapter 4:
Carbohydrates; Chapter 5: Lipids, section on heart disease), learning module 4
(Carbohydrates), the reading material links above, as well as other reliable internet/book
sources. Be sure to cite your sources.
A. Explain the possible link between low whole grain intake and early death,
with a particular focus on cardiovascular disease. Be sure to mention the
nutrients/food components found in whole grains that could impact death
from cardiovascular disease.
In whole grain foods, nutrients such as fiber, vitamins, minerals, and
phytochemicals can be found. The low whole grain intake increases
the risk of heart disease, caner, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and
cardiovascular disease. Because fiber intake is able to prevent people
from developing diverticula and diverticulitis and reduces the risk of
colon cancer. In this way, death resulting from colon cancer can be
reduced.
B. What dietary strategies and/or patterns would be helpful to follow to
increase whole grain intake in the American diet?
People could eat more whole grain foods like the bran, the germ, and
the endosperm. Lots of such such as oatmeal, whole wheat, whole oats,
popcorn, brown rice, wild rice, rolled oats, whole grain corn, whole
rye, buckwheat, millet, bulgur, whole grain barley, triticale, sorghum,
