NASM Nutrition Certification Exam Study Guide with Answers
Comprehensive study guide for the NASM Nutrition Certification
Exam, featuring key concepts, multiple-choice questions, and
accurate answer references to support exam preparation.
Latest Updated 2025/2026
SCOFF questionnaire - ansBasic yet reliable set of five questions that help assess whether an
eating disorder exists.
Do you make yourself Sick because you feel uncomfortably full?
Do you worry that you have lost Control over how much you eat?
Have you recently lost more than One stone (14 lbs) in a 3-month period?
Do you believe yourself to be Fat when others say you are too thin?
Would you say that Food dominates your life?
Scientific Method - ansThe process of formulating explanations about the natural world and
testing those explanations with experiments and data.
1. Identify a Problem
2. Formulate a hypothesis
3. Design a study to test the hypothesis
4. Collect data
5. Discard or change the hypothesis OR continue testing
Evidence-Based Practice - ansA three-pronged approach to working with clients, which
consists of making decisions based on the weight of the scientific evidence, field
observations, and individual client needs and preferences.
Prediction - ansAn expected outcome generated from a hypothesis
Theory - ansA hypothesis or set of hypotheses for which a large body of high-quality
evidence has been accumulated.
Hierarchy of Evidence - ans1. Systematic Reviews
2. Randomized Controlled Trials
3. Observational Research
4. Peer Reviews
5. Non-Peer-Reviewed Media, including anecdotes
Anecdote - ansan account of a person's experience or event
Uncontrolled Variable - ansA variable in an experiment that a scientist makes no effort to
manipulate or account for.
Primary Research - ansOriginal research where scientists perform experiments and collect
data - this is in contrast to secondary research where scientists analyze data that has already
been collected or published elsewhere.
Observational Research - ansResearch in which a researcher observes ongoing behaviors to
determine correlation.
Correlation - ansA relationship between two or more variables.
Randomized Control Trial (RCT) - ansA type of scientific study/trial where participants are
randomly assigned into different groups - one or more will be the intervention to be tested
and one will be the control group. Groups are randomized and a control is used in an attempt
to reduce potential bias in the trial.
Independent Variable - ansThe variable scientists manipulate in an experiment.
External Validity - ansThe ability to generalize the results of a study.
Systematic Review - ansA review where scientists systematically gather all research on a
topic and evaluate it based on predefined criteria and rules.
Meta-Analysis - ansA statistical analysis of a group of studies to assess the overall weight of
the evidence.
,NASM Nutrition Certification Exam Study Guide with Answers
Comprehensive study guide for the NASM Nutrition Certification
Exam, featuring key concepts, multiple-choice questions, and
accurate answer references to support exam preparation.
Latest Updated 2025/2026
Empirical - ansBased on observation or experience.
Test-Retest Reliability - ansThe ability to get similar results when something is measured
under the same conditions.
Reliability - ansThe consistency of a measure.
Validity - ansThe assessment of whether a tool is measuring what it is supposed to measure.
Selection Bias - ansA sample of people under study is not representative of the larger
population that scientists are looking to make inferences about.
Retrospective - ansDescribes a study that looks backward in time.
Recall Bias - ansThe inability to accurately remember past behaviors.
Health - ansA state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, not merely the
absence of disease or infirmity.
Homeostasis - ansThe tendency toward a relatively stable equilibrium between
interdependent elements, especially as maintained by physiological processes.
Disease - ansA disorder of structure or function in a human, animal, or plant, especially one
that produces specific signs or symptoms, affects a specific location, and is not simply a
direct result of physical injury.
Noncommunicable Disease - ansA noncommunicable disease (NCD) is a medical condition
or disease that is not caused by infectious agents; it can refer to chronic diseases which last
for long periods of time and progress slowly.
Communicable Disease - ansInfectious diseases caused by microorganisms such as bacteria,
viruses, parasites, and fungi that can be spread (directly or indirectly) from one person to
another.
Wellness - ansThe fluid process of improving the emotional, occupational, physical, social,
intellectual, and spiritual components of life, dynamically leading to a better state of health
and well-being.
Obese - ansA high degree of excess body fat - a BMI greater than 30.
Biometrics - ansThe technical term for measurements and calculations related to human
physical characteristics.
Satiety - ansA feeling of fullness and satisfaction.
Palatability - ansThe degree of pleasure or taste provided by a food - a highly palatable food
is one that is tasty and pleasant to consume.
Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) - ansThe energy currency of life.
chemical compound that provides energy to drive muscle contraction, transmission of nerve
impulses, and the vast majority of chemical reactions that facilitate human life.
Metabolism - ansChemical processes occurring within the body to convert food to energy.
Thermic Effect of Food (TEF) - ansrepresents the increase in energy expenditure after
consuming a meal.
Thermic Effect of Activity (TEA) - ansaccounts for the most variability of daily energy
expenditure.
Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT) - ansenergy expended for everything we do
that is not sleeping, eating or exercising.
Lipogenesis - ansThe biological process of combining free fatty acids with glycerol to form
triglycerides.
Lipolysis - ansThe biological process of breaking stored triglycerides into free fatty acids and
glycerol.
, NASM Nutrition Certification Exam Study Guide with Answers
Comprehensive study guide for the NASM Nutrition Certification
Exam, featuring key concepts, multiple-choice questions, and
accurate answer references to support exam preparation.
Latest Updated 2025/2026
Glycogenolysis - ansThe process of breaking down the glycogen molecule into its individual
glucose units for entry into the energy pathways.
Gluconeogenesis - ansA metabolic pathway that results in the generation of glucose from
non-carbohydrate carbon substrates such as lactate, glycerol and glucogenic amino acids.
Leptin - ansA hormone produced by adipose (fat) cells that acts as a satiety factor in
regulating appetite.
Ghrelin - ansA hunger-arousing hormone secreted by an empty stomach.
CCK (cholecystokinin) - anshormone released in the gastrointestinal system and is
responsible for stimulating the digestion of fat and protein.
NPY (neuropeptide Y) - ansneurotransmitter found in several brain areas, most notably the
hypothalamus, that stimulates eating behavior and reduces metabolism, promoting positive
energy balance and weight gain.
Insulin - anshormone produced by the pancreas that is released when blood glucose levels are
high, promoting the uptake of glucose for fuel or storage as glycogen. Insulin helps keeps
blood-sugar levels from getting too high, also referred to as hyperglycemia.
Glucagon - anshormone that is released when blood sugars decrease below a certain
threshold. It stimulates the breakdown of stored glucose (glycogen) in the liver, releasing
additional glucose into the bloodstream for fuel.
ATP-PC system - ansenergy system producing ATP during high intensity, short duration
exercise. Phosphocreatine decomposes and releases large amount of energy used to construct
ATP. provides energy for muscle contraction for up to 10 seconds.
Anaerobic Glycolytic System - ansGlucose is used for fuel and is either blood glucose or
muscle glycogen, broken down in to pyruvic acid, when there is insufficient oxygen it then is
transformed into lactic acid. Energy up to 2 minutes.
Aerobic Energy System - ansvirtually unlimited capacity for making ATP, uses carbs, fat,
protein for fuel. Slow to produce ATP. Lasts anywhere from 2 minutes to a few hours.
Acid-Base Balance - ansThe process of achieving, or the state of, equilibrium between acidic
and alkaline molecules.
Cell Signaling - ansProcess of communication between cells by biological messengers to
govern cellular function.
Organic Molecules - ansChemical structures containing only carbon, hydrogen, oxygen,
and/or nitrogen.
Amino Acids - ansThe organic building blocks of proteins containing both a carboxyl and an
amino group.
Essential Amino Acids (EAA) - ansAmino acids that are necessary for bodily functions but
cannot be synthesized by the body and, therefore, must be obtained in the diet.
Phenylalanine
Valine
Threonine
Tryptophan
Isoleucine
Methionine
Histidine
Arginine*
Lysine
Comprehensive study guide for the NASM Nutrition Certification
Exam, featuring key concepts, multiple-choice questions, and
accurate answer references to support exam preparation.
Latest Updated 2025/2026
SCOFF questionnaire - ansBasic yet reliable set of five questions that help assess whether an
eating disorder exists.
Do you make yourself Sick because you feel uncomfortably full?
Do you worry that you have lost Control over how much you eat?
Have you recently lost more than One stone (14 lbs) in a 3-month period?
Do you believe yourself to be Fat when others say you are too thin?
Would you say that Food dominates your life?
Scientific Method - ansThe process of formulating explanations about the natural world and
testing those explanations with experiments and data.
1. Identify a Problem
2. Formulate a hypothesis
3. Design a study to test the hypothesis
4. Collect data
5. Discard or change the hypothesis OR continue testing
Evidence-Based Practice - ansA three-pronged approach to working with clients, which
consists of making decisions based on the weight of the scientific evidence, field
observations, and individual client needs and preferences.
Prediction - ansAn expected outcome generated from a hypothesis
Theory - ansA hypothesis or set of hypotheses for which a large body of high-quality
evidence has been accumulated.
Hierarchy of Evidence - ans1. Systematic Reviews
2. Randomized Controlled Trials
3. Observational Research
4. Peer Reviews
5. Non-Peer-Reviewed Media, including anecdotes
Anecdote - ansan account of a person's experience or event
Uncontrolled Variable - ansA variable in an experiment that a scientist makes no effort to
manipulate or account for.
Primary Research - ansOriginal research where scientists perform experiments and collect
data - this is in contrast to secondary research where scientists analyze data that has already
been collected or published elsewhere.
Observational Research - ansResearch in which a researcher observes ongoing behaviors to
determine correlation.
Correlation - ansA relationship between two or more variables.
Randomized Control Trial (RCT) - ansA type of scientific study/trial where participants are
randomly assigned into different groups - one or more will be the intervention to be tested
and one will be the control group. Groups are randomized and a control is used in an attempt
to reduce potential bias in the trial.
Independent Variable - ansThe variable scientists manipulate in an experiment.
External Validity - ansThe ability to generalize the results of a study.
Systematic Review - ansA review where scientists systematically gather all research on a
topic and evaluate it based on predefined criteria and rules.
Meta-Analysis - ansA statistical analysis of a group of studies to assess the overall weight of
the evidence.
,NASM Nutrition Certification Exam Study Guide with Answers
Comprehensive study guide for the NASM Nutrition Certification
Exam, featuring key concepts, multiple-choice questions, and
accurate answer references to support exam preparation.
Latest Updated 2025/2026
Empirical - ansBased on observation or experience.
Test-Retest Reliability - ansThe ability to get similar results when something is measured
under the same conditions.
Reliability - ansThe consistency of a measure.
Validity - ansThe assessment of whether a tool is measuring what it is supposed to measure.
Selection Bias - ansA sample of people under study is not representative of the larger
population that scientists are looking to make inferences about.
Retrospective - ansDescribes a study that looks backward in time.
Recall Bias - ansThe inability to accurately remember past behaviors.
Health - ansA state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, not merely the
absence of disease or infirmity.
Homeostasis - ansThe tendency toward a relatively stable equilibrium between
interdependent elements, especially as maintained by physiological processes.
Disease - ansA disorder of structure or function in a human, animal, or plant, especially one
that produces specific signs or symptoms, affects a specific location, and is not simply a
direct result of physical injury.
Noncommunicable Disease - ansA noncommunicable disease (NCD) is a medical condition
or disease that is not caused by infectious agents; it can refer to chronic diseases which last
for long periods of time and progress slowly.
Communicable Disease - ansInfectious diseases caused by microorganisms such as bacteria,
viruses, parasites, and fungi that can be spread (directly or indirectly) from one person to
another.
Wellness - ansThe fluid process of improving the emotional, occupational, physical, social,
intellectual, and spiritual components of life, dynamically leading to a better state of health
and well-being.
Obese - ansA high degree of excess body fat - a BMI greater than 30.
Biometrics - ansThe technical term for measurements and calculations related to human
physical characteristics.
Satiety - ansA feeling of fullness and satisfaction.
Palatability - ansThe degree of pleasure or taste provided by a food - a highly palatable food
is one that is tasty and pleasant to consume.
Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) - ansThe energy currency of life.
chemical compound that provides energy to drive muscle contraction, transmission of nerve
impulses, and the vast majority of chemical reactions that facilitate human life.
Metabolism - ansChemical processes occurring within the body to convert food to energy.
Thermic Effect of Food (TEF) - ansrepresents the increase in energy expenditure after
consuming a meal.
Thermic Effect of Activity (TEA) - ansaccounts for the most variability of daily energy
expenditure.
Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT) - ansenergy expended for everything we do
that is not sleeping, eating or exercising.
Lipogenesis - ansThe biological process of combining free fatty acids with glycerol to form
triglycerides.
Lipolysis - ansThe biological process of breaking stored triglycerides into free fatty acids and
glycerol.
, NASM Nutrition Certification Exam Study Guide with Answers
Comprehensive study guide for the NASM Nutrition Certification
Exam, featuring key concepts, multiple-choice questions, and
accurate answer references to support exam preparation.
Latest Updated 2025/2026
Glycogenolysis - ansThe process of breaking down the glycogen molecule into its individual
glucose units for entry into the energy pathways.
Gluconeogenesis - ansA metabolic pathway that results in the generation of glucose from
non-carbohydrate carbon substrates such as lactate, glycerol and glucogenic amino acids.
Leptin - ansA hormone produced by adipose (fat) cells that acts as a satiety factor in
regulating appetite.
Ghrelin - ansA hunger-arousing hormone secreted by an empty stomach.
CCK (cholecystokinin) - anshormone released in the gastrointestinal system and is
responsible for stimulating the digestion of fat and protein.
NPY (neuropeptide Y) - ansneurotransmitter found in several brain areas, most notably the
hypothalamus, that stimulates eating behavior and reduces metabolism, promoting positive
energy balance and weight gain.
Insulin - anshormone produced by the pancreas that is released when blood glucose levels are
high, promoting the uptake of glucose for fuel or storage as glycogen. Insulin helps keeps
blood-sugar levels from getting too high, also referred to as hyperglycemia.
Glucagon - anshormone that is released when blood sugars decrease below a certain
threshold. It stimulates the breakdown of stored glucose (glycogen) in the liver, releasing
additional glucose into the bloodstream for fuel.
ATP-PC system - ansenergy system producing ATP during high intensity, short duration
exercise. Phosphocreatine decomposes and releases large amount of energy used to construct
ATP. provides energy for muscle contraction for up to 10 seconds.
Anaerobic Glycolytic System - ansGlucose is used for fuel and is either blood glucose or
muscle glycogen, broken down in to pyruvic acid, when there is insufficient oxygen it then is
transformed into lactic acid. Energy up to 2 minutes.
Aerobic Energy System - ansvirtually unlimited capacity for making ATP, uses carbs, fat,
protein for fuel. Slow to produce ATP. Lasts anywhere from 2 minutes to a few hours.
Acid-Base Balance - ansThe process of achieving, or the state of, equilibrium between acidic
and alkaline molecules.
Cell Signaling - ansProcess of communication between cells by biological messengers to
govern cellular function.
Organic Molecules - ansChemical structures containing only carbon, hydrogen, oxygen,
and/or nitrogen.
Amino Acids - ansThe organic building blocks of proteins containing both a carboxyl and an
amino group.
Essential Amino Acids (EAA) - ansAmino acids that are necessary for bodily functions but
cannot be synthesized by the body and, therefore, must be obtained in the diet.
Phenylalanine
Valine
Threonine
Tryptophan
Isoleucine
Methionine
Histidine
Arginine*
Lysine
