Page 1 of 224
WGU D440 NUTRITION PRE-ASSESSMENT
EXAM PREP
COMPREHENSIVE PRACTICE QUESTION
BANK – 2026/2027 ACADEMIC YEAR
itsjereguides
# SECTION 1: CORE NUTRITION CONCEPTS & FUNDAMENTALS
**Question 1**
Which of the following best defines the science of nutrition?
A) The study of food processing, packaging, and preservation techniques
B) The intake of food, considered in relation to the body's dietary needs
C) The study of how food components affect metabolism, health, performance, and disease
resistance
D) The practice of eliminating specific food groups to achieve optimal health
**Correct Answer: C**
**Rationale:** Nutrition science is defined as the study of the effects of food components on
metabolism, health, performance, and disease resistance. While option B describes nutrition as
the intake of food in relation to dietary needs, option C more accurately reflects the scientific
discipline that encompasses the comprehensive study of how food components interact with the
body. Dietetics is the discipline that applies nutrition science to promote health and treat disease.
,Page 2 of 224
**Question 2**
A nurse is educating a client about essential nutrients. Which statement correctly describes an
essential nutrient?
A) Essential nutrients are those that the body can synthesize in adequate amounts
B) Essential nutrients must be obtained from the diet because the body cannot produce them in
sufficient quantities
C) Essential nutrients are only required in large amounts (macronutrients)
D) Essential nutrients include only vitamins and minerals, not carbohydrates or fats
**Correct Answer: B**
**Rationale:** Essential nutrients must be obtained from the diet because the body cannot
synthesize them in adequate amounts to meet physiological needs. This includes certain amino
acids, fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, and water. Essential nutrients are not limited to
micronutrients; some carbohydrates and fats are also considered essential under specific
conditions.
---
**Question 3**
Which discipline applies nutrition science to promote human health and treat disease through
evidence-based practices?
A) Nutritional epidemiology
B) Food science
C) Dietetics
D) Wellness coaching
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**Correct Answer: C**
**Rationale:** Dietetics is the use of evidence-based practices in the area of food and nutrition
to improve and maintain good health. Dietitians apply nutrition science to clinical practice,
community health, and food service management. Nutritional epidemiology studies the
relationship between diet and disease at the population level, while food science focuses on food
composition and processing.
---
**Question 4**
A patient asks the nurse, "What is the difference between a nutrient and a non-nutrient?" Which
response is most accurate?
A) Nutrients provide energy, while non-nutrients do not
B) Nutrients are substances in food that the body uses for growth, maintenance, and repair, while
non-nutrients are food components without nutritional value
C) Nutrients are found only in whole foods, while non-nutrients are found only in processed
foods
D) Non-nutrients are harmful substances that should be eliminated from the diet
**Correct Answer: B**
**Rationale:** Nutrients are chemical substances in food that the body uses for growth,
maintenance, and repair. Non-nutrients are components of food that do not provide nutritional
value but may have other effects on health (e.g., phytochemicals, fiber, additives). Not all non-
nutrients are harmful; many have beneficial health properties.
---
, Page 4 of 224
**Question 5**
The six classes of nutrients include carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, vitamins, minerals, and:
A) Fiber
B) Water
C) Phytochemicals
D) Enzymes
**Correct Answer: B**
**Rationale:** The six classes of essential nutrients are carbohydrates, proteins, lipids (fats),
vitamins, minerals, and water. Water is essential for all metabolic processes and is often
overlooked as a nutrient. Fiber is a type of carbohydrate, phytochemicals are non-nutrients, and
enzymes are proteins produced by the body.
---
**Question 6**
Which of the following nutrients provides energy (kilocalories) to the body?
A) Vitamins
B) Minerals
C) Water
D) Carbohydrates
**Correct Answer: D**
WGU D440 NUTRITION PRE-ASSESSMENT
EXAM PREP
COMPREHENSIVE PRACTICE QUESTION
BANK – 2026/2027 ACADEMIC YEAR
itsjereguides
# SECTION 1: CORE NUTRITION CONCEPTS & FUNDAMENTALS
**Question 1**
Which of the following best defines the science of nutrition?
A) The study of food processing, packaging, and preservation techniques
B) The intake of food, considered in relation to the body's dietary needs
C) The study of how food components affect metabolism, health, performance, and disease
resistance
D) The practice of eliminating specific food groups to achieve optimal health
**Correct Answer: C**
**Rationale:** Nutrition science is defined as the study of the effects of food components on
metabolism, health, performance, and disease resistance. While option B describes nutrition as
the intake of food in relation to dietary needs, option C more accurately reflects the scientific
discipline that encompasses the comprehensive study of how food components interact with the
body. Dietetics is the discipline that applies nutrition science to promote health and treat disease.
,Page 2 of 224
**Question 2**
A nurse is educating a client about essential nutrients. Which statement correctly describes an
essential nutrient?
A) Essential nutrients are those that the body can synthesize in adequate amounts
B) Essential nutrients must be obtained from the diet because the body cannot produce them in
sufficient quantities
C) Essential nutrients are only required in large amounts (macronutrients)
D) Essential nutrients include only vitamins and minerals, not carbohydrates or fats
**Correct Answer: B**
**Rationale:** Essential nutrients must be obtained from the diet because the body cannot
synthesize them in adequate amounts to meet physiological needs. This includes certain amino
acids, fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, and water. Essential nutrients are not limited to
micronutrients; some carbohydrates and fats are also considered essential under specific
conditions.
---
**Question 3**
Which discipline applies nutrition science to promote human health and treat disease through
evidence-based practices?
A) Nutritional epidemiology
B) Food science
C) Dietetics
D) Wellness coaching
,Page 3 of 224
**Correct Answer: C**
**Rationale:** Dietetics is the use of evidence-based practices in the area of food and nutrition
to improve and maintain good health. Dietitians apply nutrition science to clinical practice,
community health, and food service management. Nutritional epidemiology studies the
relationship between diet and disease at the population level, while food science focuses on food
composition and processing.
---
**Question 4**
A patient asks the nurse, "What is the difference between a nutrient and a non-nutrient?" Which
response is most accurate?
A) Nutrients provide energy, while non-nutrients do not
B) Nutrients are substances in food that the body uses for growth, maintenance, and repair, while
non-nutrients are food components without nutritional value
C) Nutrients are found only in whole foods, while non-nutrients are found only in processed
foods
D) Non-nutrients are harmful substances that should be eliminated from the diet
**Correct Answer: B**
**Rationale:** Nutrients are chemical substances in food that the body uses for growth,
maintenance, and repair. Non-nutrients are components of food that do not provide nutritional
value but may have other effects on health (e.g., phytochemicals, fiber, additives). Not all non-
nutrients are harmful; many have beneficial health properties.
---
, Page 4 of 224
**Question 5**
The six classes of nutrients include carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, vitamins, minerals, and:
A) Fiber
B) Water
C) Phytochemicals
D) Enzymes
**Correct Answer: B**
**Rationale:** The six classes of essential nutrients are carbohydrates, proteins, lipids (fats),
vitamins, minerals, and water. Water is essential for all metabolic processes and is often
overlooked as a nutrient. Fiber is a type of carbohydrate, phytochemicals are non-nutrients, and
enzymes are proteins produced by the body.
---
**Question 6**
Which of the following nutrients provides energy (kilocalories) to the body?
A) Vitamins
B) Minerals
C) Water
D) Carbohydrates
**Correct Answer: D**
