Question 1

What event marks the end of linear growth?

Accepted Answer

The closure of the epiphyses, or growth plates, marks the end of linear growth.

Question 2

The parents of a high school basketball player ask for an estimate of their son's peak height. The father is 6' 2", and the mother is 5' 5". How tall do you estimate their son will be?

Accepted Answer

One can predict a child's adult height based on the height of a child's mother and father. A female will grow to be about the height of the mother (inches) plus father (inches) - 5 inches divided by two. A male will grow to be about the height of the mother (inches) plus father (inches) + 5 inches divided by two.

Question 3

In addition to elite young athletes, which group is at risk for growth delays?

Accepted Answer

Research suggests that overweight females who go through puberty early due to the effects of excess weight may also at be risk for decreased adult height, though the same does not appear to be true for boys.

Question 4

A 10-year-old child has a body mass index (BMI) in the 87th percentile. What recommendations would you make to this child's parents?

Accepted Answer

BMI is plotted on an age- and gender-appropriate growth chart. A BMI below 10% is underweight, 10% to 84% is normal weight, 85% to 94% is overweight, and greater than 95% is obese.

Question 5

In addition to providing enough calories to support strenuous exercise, what other important functions must be supported by a highly active young athlete's caloric intake?

Accepted Answer

A highly active youth athlete requires an adequate number of calories to fuel their strenuous exercise regimen and to provide for optimal growth and development.

Question 6

How many additional calories are recommended for children who are very active?

Accepted Answer

The basic calorie recommendations are based on the needs of a sedentary child. Moderately active children need up to 200 additional calories per day, whereas very active children need 200 to 400 calories more than the basic recommendations.

Question 7

Which of the following statements correctly characterizes the protein needs of young athletes compared to their sedentary counterparts?

Accepted Answer

Evidence suggests that very active children may have somewhat increased protein needs. For example, a study of 14-year-old male soccer players demonstrated that active adolescents require more protein than their inactive counterparts. Most athletes spontaneously increase their caloric and protein intake to meet these protein needs.

Question 8

Which subgroup of young athletes is at highest risk of calcium deficiency?

Accepted Answer

Despite its importance, the average calcium intake for adolescent females is half of the recommended 1,200 mg per day.

Question 9

In what way does the body store excess iron?

Accepted Answer

Iron consumed in the diet is used to meet current needs or is stored as ferritin.

Question 10

Shelley is in her second trimester of pregnancy with her first child. She typically consumes about 1,800 calories each day. Approximately how many healthy calories should Shelley consume each day to promote growth and development of the fetus?

Accepted Answer

In the second trimester, calorie needs increase by about 300 calories per day. The typical woman needs an additional 450 calories above baseline in the third trimester.

Question 11

Which body system undergoes the most noticeable pregnancy-induced changes?

Accepted Answer

The gastrointestinal system undergoes the most noticeable pregnancy-induced changes. These include increased appetite, nausea and vomiting, decreased motility and slowing of digestion, changes in sense of taste, increased nutrient absorption, heartburn-causing reflux, and constipation.

Question 12

For what reason should pregnant women avoid fasting and skipping breakfast?

Accepted Answer

Pregnant women should avoid fasting and never skip breakfast due to a risk of ketosis, an increased acidity of the blood that can lead to a heightened risk of preterm delivery.

Question 13

An athletic woman who is running extensively during her pregnancy is consuming as many iron rich and fortified foods as possible to avoid deficiency. Which of the following foods will increase iron absorption if consumed with an iron-containing food?

Accepted Answer

Consumption of vitamin C with iron increases iron absorption. The vitamin C can be in the form of food or a supplement.

Question 14

Because the fetus gets access to circulating nutrients first, which nutrient must be consumed in the diet or supplemented in order to avoid high blood pressure, preeclampsia, and decreased bone mineral density?

Accepted Answer

Similar to other nutrients, the fetus gets access to circulating minerals first. If calcium intake is not adequate, maternal bone strength is at risk. Because calcium absorption is increased during pregnancy, calcium needs in pregnant women are similar to nonpregnant women-about 1,000 to 1,200 mg per day, equivalent to about three to four glasses of milk per day. Adequate calcium intake may also help prevent pregnancy-induced high blood pressure and preeclampsia.

Question 15

Overconsumption of which of the following vitamins may result in birth defects, especially in the first trimester?

Accepted Answer

Consumption of greater than 10,000 IU of vitamin A in early pregnancy can cause birth defects.

Question 16

Which of the following statements best describes the recommendations for caffeine intake during pregnancy?

Accepted Answer

Research is inconclusive, and no one fully understands the true risks of caffeine consumption, but most experts recommend limiting caffeine consumption to no more than two cups of coffee or six cans of soda per day (200 mg) during pregnancy.

Question 17

Consumption of which nutrient should be almost doubled during the second trimester of pregnancy?

Accepted Answer

Protein needs increase from about 46 grams prepregnancy to about 70 grams during pregnancy.

Question 18

During the third trimester, a growing fetus needs energy to support growth. From which energy source does the fetus draw the majority of its energy?

Accepted Answer

The nutritional needs of the fetus are most pronounced during the third trimester. Approximately 50% to 70% of the calories required by the fetus are derived from glucose, 20% from protein, and the remaining from fat.

Question 19

What maternal energy source provides a steady source of energy to a growing fetus during the third trimester?

Accepted Answer

To maximize glucose availability to the fetus, the maternal energy source is primarily fat.

Question 20

How many additional calories are required each day to meet the energy requirement of a woman who is breastfeeding?

Accepted Answer

Women who breastfeed require approximately 500 additional calories per day for weight maintenance.

Quiz 13: Nutrition Across the Lifecycle