NASM NUTRITION CERTIFICATION
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS|| 2025/2026
LATEST UPDATE|| VERIFIED A+
SCOFF questionnaire - ANSWERBasic 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 - ANSWERThe 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 - ANSWERA 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 - ANSWERAn expected outcome generated from a hypothesis
Theory - ANSWERA hypothesis or set of hypotheses for which a large body of high-
quality evidence has been accumulated.
Hierarchy of Evidence - ANSWER1. Systematic Reviews
2. Randomized Controlled Trials
3. Observational Research
4. Peer Reviews
5. Non-Peer-Reviewed Media, including anecdotes
Anecdote - ANSWERan account of a person's experience or event
Uncontrolled Variable - ANSWERA variable in an experiment that a scientist makes no
effort to manipulate or account for.
,Primary Research - ANSWEROriginal 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 - ANSWERResearch in which a researcher observes ongoing
behaviors to determine correlation.
Correlation - ANSWERA relationship between two or more variables.
Randomized Control Trial (RCT) - ANSWERA 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 - ANSWERThe variable scientists manipulate in an experiment.
External Validity - ANSWERThe ability to generalize the results of a study.
Systematic Review - ANSWERA review where scientists systematically gather all
research on a topic and evaluate it based on predefined criteria and rules.
Meta-Analysis - ANSWERA statistical analysis of a group of studies to assess the
overall weight of the evidence.
Empirical - ANSWERBased on observation or experience.
Test-Retest Reliability - ANSWERThe ability to get similar results when something is
measured under the same conditions.
Reliability - ANSWERThe consistency of a measure.
Validity - ANSWERThe assessment of whether a tool is measuring what it is supposed
to measure.
Selection Bias - ANSWERA sample of people under study is not representative of the
larger population that scientists are looking to make inferences about.
Retrospective - ANSWERDescribes a study that looks backward in time.
Recall Bias - ANSWERThe inability to accurately remember past behaviors.
Health - ANSWERA state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, not
merely the absence of disease or infirmity.
Homeostasis - ANSWERThe tendency toward a relatively stable equilibrium between
interdependent elements, especially as maintained by physiological processes.
,Disease - ANSWERA 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 - ANSWERA 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 - ANSWERInfectious diseases caused by microorganisms such
as bacteria, viruses, parasites, and fungi that can be spread (directly or indirectly) from
one person to another.
Wellness - ANSWERThe 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 - ANSWERA high degree of excess body fat - a BMI greater than 30.
Biometrics - ANSWERThe technical term for measurements and calculations related to
human physical characteristics.
Satiety - ANSWERA feeling of fullness and satisfaction.
Palatability - ANSWERThe 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) - ANSWERThe 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 - ANSWERChemical processes occurring within the body to convert food to
energy.
Thermic Effect of Food (TEF) - ANSWERrepresents the increase in energy expenditure
after consuming a meal.
Thermic Effect of Activity (TEA) - ANSWERaccounts for the most variability of daily
energy expenditure.
Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT) - ANSWERenergy expended for
everything we do that is not sleeping, eating or exercising.
Lipogenesis - ANSWERThe biological process of combining free fatty acids with
glycerol to form triglycerides.
, Lipolysis - ANSWERThe biological process of breaking stored triglycerides into free
fatty acids and glycerol.
Glycogenolysis - ANSWERThe process of breaking down the glycogen molecule into its
individual glucose units for entry into the energy pathways.
Gluconeogenesis - ANSWERA metabolic pathway that results in the generation of
glucose from non-carbohydrate carbon substrates such as lactate, glycerol and
glucogenic amino acids.
Leptin - ANSWERA hormone produced by adipose (fat) cells that acts as a satiety factor
in regulating appetite.
Ghrelin - ANSWERA hunger-arousing hormone secreted by an empty stomach.
CCK (cholecystokinin) - ANSWERhormone released in the gastrointestinal system and
is responsible for stimulating the digestion of fat and protein.
NPY (neuropeptide Y) - ANSWERneurotransmitter found in several brain areas, most
notably the hypothalamus, that stimulates eating behavior and reduces metabolism,
promoting positive energy balance and weight gain.
Insulin - ANSWERhormone 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 - ANSWERhormone 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 - ANSWERenergy 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 - ANSWERGlucose 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 - ANSWERvirtually 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 - ANSWERThe process of achieving, or the state of, equilibrium
between acidic and alkaline molecules.
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS|| 2025/2026
LATEST UPDATE|| VERIFIED A+
SCOFF questionnaire - ANSWERBasic 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 - ANSWERThe 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 - ANSWERA 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 - ANSWERAn expected outcome generated from a hypothesis
Theory - ANSWERA hypothesis or set of hypotheses for which a large body of high-
quality evidence has been accumulated.
Hierarchy of Evidence - ANSWER1. Systematic Reviews
2. Randomized Controlled Trials
3. Observational Research
4. Peer Reviews
5. Non-Peer-Reviewed Media, including anecdotes
Anecdote - ANSWERan account of a person's experience or event
Uncontrolled Variable - ANSWERA variable in an experiment that a scientist makes no
effort to manipulate or account for.
,Primary Research - ANSWEROriginal 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 - ANSWERResearch in which a researcher observes ongoing
behaviors to determine correlation.
Correlation - ANSWERA relationship between two or more variables.
Randomized Control Trial (RCT) - ANSWERA 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 - ANSWERThe variable scientists manipulate in an experiment.
External Validity - ANSWERThe ability to generalize the results of a study.
Systematic Review - ANSWERA review where scientists systematically gather all
research on a topic and evaluate it based on predefined criteria and rules.
Meta-Analysis - ANSWERA statistical analysis of a group of studies to assess the
overall weight of the evidence.
Empirical - ANSWERBased on observation or experience.
Test-Retest Reliability - ANSWERThe ability to get similar results when something is
measured under the same conditions.
Reliability - ANSWERThe consistency of a measure.
Validity - ANSWERThe assessment of whether a tool is measuring what it is supposed
to measure.
Selection Bias - ANSWERA sample of people under study is not representative of the
larger population that scientists are looking to make inferences about.
Retrospective - ANSWERDescribes a study that looks backward in time.
Recall Bias - ANSWERThe inability to accurately remember past behaviors.
Health - ANSWERA state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, not
merely the absence of disease or infirmity.
Homeostasis - ANSWERThe tendency toward a relatively stable equilibrium between
interdependent elements, especially as maintained by physiological processes.
,Disease - ANSWERA 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 - ANSWERA 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 - ANSWERInfectious diseases caused by microorganisms such
as bacteria, viruses, parasites, and fungi that can be spread (directly or indirectly) from
one person to another.
Wellness - ANSWERThe 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 - ANSWERA high degree of excess body fat - a BMI greater than 30.
Biometrics - ANSWERThe technical term for measurements and calculations related to
human physical characteristics.
Satiety - ANSWERA feeling of fullness and satisfaction.
Palatability - ANSWERThe 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) - ANSWERThe 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 - ANSWERChemical processes occurring within the body to convert food to
energy.
Thermic Effect of Food (TEF) - ANSWERrepresents the increase in energy expenditure
after consuming a meal.
Thermic Effect of Activity (TEA) - ANSWERaccounts for the most variability of daily
energy expenditure.
Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT) - ANSWERenergy expended for
everything we do that is not sleeping, eating or exercising.
Lipogenesis - ANSWERThe biological process of combining free fatty acids with
glycerol to form triglycerides.
, Lipolysis - ANSWERThe biological process of breaking stored triglycerides into free
fatty acids and glycerol.
Glycogenolysis - ANSWERThe process of breaking down the glycogen molecule into its
individual glucose units for entry into the energy pathways.
Gluconeogenesis - ANSWERA metabolic pathway that results in the generation of
glucose from non-carbohydrate carbon substrates such as lactate, glycerol and
glucogenic amino acids.
Leptin - ANSWERA hormone produced by adipose (fat) cells that acts as a satiety factor
in regulating appetite.
Ghrelin - ANSWERA hunger-arousing hormone secreted by an empty stomach.
CCK (cholecystokinin) - ANSWERhormone released in the gastrointestinal system and
is responsible for stimulating the digestion of fat and protein.
NPY (neuropeptide Y) - ANSWERneurotransmitter found in several brain areas, most
notably the hypothalamus, that stimulates eating behavior and reduces metabolism,
promoting positive energy balance and weight gain.
Insulin - ANSWERhormone 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 - ANSWERhormone 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 - ANSWERenergy 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 - ANSWERGlucose 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 - ANSWERvirtually 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 - ANSWERThe process of achieving, or the state of, equilibrium
between acidic and alkaline molecules.
