1|Page
Fundamentals of Nutrition – NUR
155 Q & A with Rationales
(Exam-Focused)
Exam Structure:
Subject: Fundamentals of Nutrition (Nutrients, Assessment, Support, Lifespan
Considerations)
Source: Nursing Nutrition Knowledge Base
Format: Q & A with Rationales
1. What are the six classes of nutrients?
Correct Answer: A. Carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins,
minerals, and water.
Rationale:
1. These six classes encompass all substances required by the body for
energy, growth, regulation, and maintenance.
2. Memorizing these categories provides a framework for
understanding dietary requirements and planning balanced meals.
3. This foundational knowledge is essential for nutritional screening,
patient education, and interdisciplinary care planning.
2. What defines essential nutrients?
Correct Answer: A. Nutrients that are not synthesized in the body or
are made in insufficient amounts and must be provided in the diet.
Rationale:
, 2|Page
1. Essential nutrients include certain amino acids, fatty acids, vitamins,
and minerals that must be obtained from food.
2. Understanding this concept helps nurses identify patients at risk for
deficiencies due to poor intake or malabsorption.
3. It underscores the importance of dietary diversity and
supplementation when necessary.
3. What are macronutrients and their primary function?
Correct Answer: A. Macronutrients include carbohydrates, fats, and
proteins, which supply energy and build tissue.
Rationale:
1. Macronutrients are required in large amounts and provide calories
(energy): carbohydrates and proteins provide 4 kcal/g, fats provide 9
kcal/g.
2. Proteins also serve a critical structural function for tissue repair and
enzyme/hormone synthesis.
3. This knowledge is key for calculating caloric needs, especially in
conditions like diabetes, obesity, or wound healing.
4. What are micronutrients and their role?
Correct Answer: A. Micronutrients include vitamins and minerals that
regulate and control body processes.
Rationale:
1. Micronutrients are needed in smaller quantities but are vital for
metabolic pathways, immune function, bone health, and antioxidant
defense.
2. Deficiencies can cause specific diseases (e.g., scurvy from lack of
vitamin C, anemia from iron deficiency).
3. Nurses play a role in assessing for signs of micronutrient deficiencies
and promoting intake through diet or supplements.
5. What is energy balance?
, 3|Page
Correct Answer: A. The difference between total daily energy intake
and total daily energy expenditure, determining weight stability, loss,
or gain.
Rationale:
1. Energy balance is a core principle in weight management: positive
balance leads to weight gain, negative balance leads to weight loss.
2. It integrates diet (intake) with physical activity and metabolic rate
(expenditure).
3. Nurses use this concept to counsel patients on weight goals and tailor
interventions for obesity or cachexia.
6. What is Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)?
Correct Answer: A. The energy required to fuel involuntary activities
of the body at rest after 12 hours.
Rationale:
1. BMR represents the calories needed to maintain basic physiological
functions like breathing, circulation, and cell production.
2. It accounts for the largest portion (about 60-75%) of total daily
energy expenditure.
3. Understanding BMR helps in estimating caloric needs for hospitalized
or sedentary patients.
7. What factors can increase BMR?
Correct Answer: A. Growth, infections, fever, emotional tension,
extreme environmental temperatures, and elevated hormone levels.
Rationale:
1. These factors increase metabolic demands. For example, fever raises
BMR by about 7% per degree Fahrenheit above normal.
2. Hyperthyroidism (elevated thyroid hormone) significantly increases
BMR, while hypothyroidism decreases it.
3. Nurses must consider these factors when assessing nutritional needs,
especially in critically ill or pediatric patients.
8. What factors can decrease BMR?
, 4|Page
Correct Answer: A. Aging, prolonged fasting, and sleep.
Rationale:
1. BMR naturally declines with age due to loss of lean muscle mass.
2. Prolonged fasting or starvation reduces BMR as the body conserves
energy.
3. Recognizing these factors is important for nutritional care of older
adults or patients with anorexia.
9. How is Body Mass Index (BMI) calculated?
Correct Answer: A. BMI is calculated as weight in kilograms divided by
height in meters squared.
Rationale:
1. BMI is a quick, standardized tool to classify weight status:
underweight (<18.5), normal (18.5–24.9), overweight (25–29.9),
obese (≥30).
2. It is a screening tool but does not differentiate between muscle and
fat mass.
3. Nurses routinely calculate BMI to assess nutritional risk and guide
interventions.
10. What does a high waist circumference indicate?
Correct Answer: A. Increased risk of diseases associated with central
abdominal obesity.
Rationale:
1. Waist circumference measures visceral fat, which is metabolically
active and linked to insulin resistance, hypertension, and
cardiovascular disease.
2. High risk is defined as >40 inches in men or >35 inches in women.
3. This assessment complements BMI by identifying patients with
normal BMI but high central adiposity (“metabolically obese”).
11. What are the primary functions of carbohydrates?
Correct Answer: A. To provide the body with energy.
Rationale:
Fundamentals of Nutrition – NUR
155 Q & A with Rationales
(Exam-Focused)
Exam Structure:
Subject: Fundamentals of Nutrition (Nutrients, Assessment, Support, Lifespan
Considerations)
Source: Nursing Nutrition Knowledge Base
Format: Q & A with Rationales
1. What are the six classes of nutrients?
Correct Answer: A. Carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins,
minerals, and water.
Rationale:
1. These six classes encompass all substances required by the body for
energy, growth, regulation, and maintenance.
2. Memorizing these categories provides a framework for
understanding dietary requirements and planning balanced meals.
3. This foundational knowledge is essential for nutritional screening,
patient education, and interdisciplinary care planning.
2. What defines essential nutrients?
Correct Answer: A. Nutrients that are not synthesized in the body or
are made in insufficient amounts and must be provided in the diet.
Rationale:
, 2|Page
1. Essential nutrients include certain amino acids, fatty acids, vitamins,
and minerals that must be obtained from food.
2. Understanding this concept helps nurses identify patients at risk for
deficiencies due to poor intake or malabsorption.
3. It underscores the importance of dietary diversity and
supplementation when necessary.
3. What are macronutrients and their primary function?
Correct Answer: A. Macronutrients include carbohydrates, fats, and
proteins, which supply energy and build tissue.
Rationale:
1. Macronutrients are required in large amounts and provide calories
(energy): carbohydrates and proteins provide 4 kcal/g, fats provide 9
kcal/g.
2. Proteins also serve a critical structural function for tissue repair and
enzyme/hormone synthesis.
3. This knowledge is key for calculating caloric needs, especially in
conditions like diabetes, obesity, or wound healing.
4. What are micronutrients and their role?
Correct Answer: A. Micronutrients include vitamins and minerals that
regulate and control body processes.
Rationale:
1. Micronutrients are needed in smaller quantities but are vital for
metabolic pathways, immune function, bone health, and antioxidant
defense.
2. Deficiencies can cause specific diseases (e.g., scurvy from lack of
vitamin C, anemia from iron deficiency).
3. Nurses play a role in assessing for signs of micronutrient deficiencies
and promoting intake through diet or supplements.
5. What is energy balance?
, 3|Page
Correct Answer: A. The difference between total daily energy intake
and total daily energy expenditure, determining weight stability, loss,
or gain.
Rationale:
1. Energy balance is a core principle in weight management: positive
balance leads to weight gain, negative balance leads to weight loss.
2. It integrates diet (intake) with physical activity and metabolic rate
(expenditure).
3. Nurses use this concept to counsel patients on weight goals and tailor
interventions for obesity or cachexia.
6. What is Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)?
Correct Answer: A. The energy required to fuel involuntary activities
of the body at rest after 12 hours.
Rationale:
1. BMR represents the calories needed to maintain basic physiological
functions like breathing, circulation, and cell production.
2. It accounts for the largest portion (about 60-75%) of total daily
energy expenditure.
3. Understanding BMR helps in estimating caloric needs for hospitalized
or sedentary patients.
7. What factors can increase BMR?
Correct Answer: A. Growth, infections, fever, emotional tension,
extreme environmental temperatures, and elevated hormone levels.
Rationale:
1. These factors increase metabolic demands. For example, fever raises
BMR by about 7% per degree Fahrenheit above normal.
2. Hyperthyroidism (elevated thyroid hormone) significantly increases
BMR, while hypothyroidism decreases it.
3. Nurses must consider these factors when assessing nutritional needs,
especially in critically ill or pediatric patients.
8. What factors can decrease BMR?
, 4|Page
Correct Answer: A. Aging, prolonged fasting, and sleep.
Rationale:
1. BMR naturally declines with age due to loss of lean muscle mass.
2. Prolonged fasting or starvation reduces BMR as the body conserves
energy.
3. Recognizing these factors is important for nutritional care of older
adults or patients with anorexia.
9. How is Body Mass Index (BMI) calculated?
Correct Answer: A. BMI is calculated as weight in kilograms divided by
height in meters squared.
Rationale:
1. BMI is a quick, standardized tool to classify weight status:
underweight (<18.5), normal (18.5–24.9), overweight (25–29.9),
obese (≥30).
2. It is a screening tool but does not differentiate between muscle and
fat mass.
3. Nurses routinely calculate BMI to assess nutritional risk and guide
interventions.
10. What does a high waist circumference indicate?
Correct Answer: A. Increased risk of diseases associated with central
abdominal obesity.
Rationale:
1. Waist circumference measures visceral fat, which is metabolically
active and linked to insulin resistance, hypertension, and
cardiovascular disease.
2. High risk is defined as >40 inches in men or >35 inches in women.
3. This assessment complements BMI by identifying patients with
normal BMI but high central adiposity (“metabolically obese”).
11. What are the primary functions of carbohydrates?
Correct Answer: A. To provide the body with energy.
Rationale:
