Exam Questions and CORRECT Answers
Describe the primary goal of the practice of community and public health nutrition. - CORRECT
ANSWER - Health promotion and disease prevention, wellness
Define the concepts of health promotion and wellness. - CORRECT ANSWER - Health
promotion-the process of enabling people to achieve their maximum potential for good health
Wellness- an optimal state of health. It concerns a person's individual health physically,
mentally, emotionally and spiritually and also their role in society and fulfilling expectations in
their family, community, place of worship, workplace and environment.
Define determinants of health. Describe how determinants of health can impact nutritional status
- CORRECT ANSWER - Biology and genetics: sex, race, age, other hereditary factors
Lifestyle: physical activity , diet, hobbies, drugs, alcohol, hygiene
Living, working, and social conditions: housing, education, job, income, access to health services
and nutritious foods
Community Conditions: Climate and geography, water supply, social services, politics, built
environment
Background Conditions: national food and nutrition policy, national minimum wage, cultural
beliefs and values, media messages
Define the concept of "public health". Explain factors that impact the targets of public health
programming over time. - CORRECT ANSWER - Public health: The science and art of
preventing disease, prolonging life, and promoting health and efficiency through organized
community efforts
Preventing disease, health promotion
Heath can change due to Biology, lifestyle, and background conditions
Biology - genetics, family history
Environment - living, social, working, community, background, air quality
Lifestyle - eat, smoke, exercise
Primary risk factors for disease involve obesity nowadays
,Describe the concept of community nutrition intervention. - CORRECT ANSWER - An
intervention is a planned activity that is targeted to change behavior in a certain group of people.
The goal is health promotion and disease prevention
Describe three basic objectives, strategies, and desired outcomes of community nutrition
interventions. - CORRECT ANSWER - Building awareness- we want to raise awareness of
the issue
Changing behaviors-we want to change the behavior of those affected by the issue
Creating supportive environments- we want to be supportive to allow for change
Differentiate between the three "levels" of prevention (primary, secondary, tertiary). -
CORRECT ANSWER - Primary- health promotion, intervene prior to the onset of disease.
The purpose is to improve quality of life, social and personal productivity, reduce burden on
society
Ex: taxes on soda, fortification of foods, Silver sneakers club, education, minimum requirements
for exercise
Secondary- primary medical care. Typically includes a screening component, such as
mammograms when there are no visible symptoms
Ex: child obesity - nutrition classes, required exercise, fitness gram and biometric screening,
reaching out to parents, classes on how to manage diabetes, obesity and weight loss.
Tertiary- disease management to reduce co-morbidities or early mortality.
Ex: I have this disease, what steps can I take now? Managing diabetes, etc
Describe the three "targets" of community nutrition interventions (individuals, communities,
systems). Describe advantages and disadvantages of different approaches. - CORRECT
ANSWER - Individuals (individual or personal-based prevention) - one person or a very small
group of people.
Advantage: can be tailored to the needs of that person(s).
Disadvantage: cannot reach a broad net, or impact lots
Communities (community-based prevention) - group of people, neighborhood, city, town, district
, Advantage: can impact more people, you are more likely to capture those people who are at risk.
In terms of numbers, you can have a greater impact. Can change social norms, change how
people see diet and food companies.
Disadvantage: As your groups get larger, it is more difficult to tailor, it may not be cost effective
if not that many people are affected by it.
Systems (policy-based prevention) - look at systems that serve those groups of people to base
approaches
Advantage:
Disadvantage:
Describe and give examples of the three core responsibilities of community/public health
nutrition professionals. - CORRECT ANSWER - Assessment- requires that you collect data
for meaning. Purpose is to identify problems, groups at high risks
Ex: collecting data! surveys
Policy and program development- move and tax, how do we find a solution
Ex: we can tax to lower rates of obesity, or we can spotlight an issue - fortification of foods is
mandated
Assurance-means that we are actually implementing the programs, evaluating whether our
programs or policies are being effective program evaluation
Ex: program evaluation- surveys that measure your outcomes
Define the concept of evidence-based practice. Explain components of the evidence-based
process and identify sources of evidence-based guidelines. - CORRECT ANSWER -
Evidence based science is when decisions about interventions are based on science, while
considering population preference and needs and professional experience
Requires that you formulate a good question, needs to be precise and relevant
Find Relevant research
Evaluate levels and quality of evidence
Evaluate totality of evidence
PICO
Problem- obesity, children, elderly
Intervention- nutrition education, community grade