Human Nutrition Across the Life Cycle
NHM 311 - PARKS | VERIFIED EXAM QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS - LATEST VERSION 2026/2027
NHM 311 Parkes
HUMAN NUTRITION ACROSS THE LIFE CYCLE
1. Which of the following is classified as an energy-yielding nutrient?
A. Protein
B. Vitamin C
C. Water
D. Calcium
ANSWER : A. Protein
Carbohydrate, fat and protein supply kilocalories; vitamins, minerals
and water do not provide energy.
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,Human Nutrition Across the Life Cycle
2. How many kilocalories does one gram of fat provide?
A. 12
B. 4
C. 9
D. 7
ANSWER : C. 9
Fat yields 9 kcal per gram, more than twice the 4 kcal per gram supplied
by carbohydrate or protein.
3. One gram of alcohol supplies approximately how many kilocalories?
A. 7
B. 4
C. 9
D. 0
ANSWER : A. 7
Alcohol provides 7 kcal per gram, yet it is not a nutrient because the
body has no requirement for it.
4. A nutrient that the body cannot make in sufficient amounts and must
obtain from food is described as
A. organic
B. essential
C. phytochemical
D. functional
ANSWER : B. essential
Essential nutrients must come from the diet because the body cannot
synthesize them in adequate quantities.
5. Which class of nutrients is inorganic?
A. Vitamins
B. Proteins
C. Lipids
D. Minerals
ANSWER : D. Minerals
Minerals contain no carbon and therefore are inorganic; the other three
classes are carbon-based.
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,Human Nutrition Across the Life Cycle
6. A meal contains 30 g carbohydrate, 10 g fat and 20 g protein. How
many kilocalories does it provide?
A. 290 kcal
B. 330 kcal
C. 240 kcal
D. 260 kcal
ANSWER : A. 290 kcal
(30 x 4) + (10 x 9) + (20 x 4) = 120 + 90 + 80 = 290 kcal.
7. In the meal described in the previous question, approximately what
percentage of the energy comes from fat?
A. 22%
B. 45%
C. 31%
D. 17%
ANSWER : C. 31%
Fat supplies 90 kcal of 290 total kcal, which is about 31 percent.
8. Which research design is best able to establish a cause-and-effect
relationship between a nutrient and a health outcome?
A. Epidemiological observation
B. Randomized controlled trial
C. Case-control study
D. Cross-sectional survey
ANSWER : B. Randomized controlled trial
Random assignment and a control group allow researchers to attribute
differences in outcome to the intervention itself.
9. Nutrient density refers to the
A. amount of nutrients a food provides relative to its kilocalories
B. water content of a food
C. weight of a standard serving
D. number of kilocalories per gram of food
ANSWER : A. amount of nutrients a food provides relative to its
kilocalories
Nutrient-dense foods deliver many vitamins and minerals for relatively
few kilocalories.
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, Human Nutrition Across the Life Cycle
10. A diet that provides all essential nutrients, fiber and energy in
amounts sufficient to maintain health best illustrates the principle of
A. adequacy
B. kcal control
C. moderation
D. variety
ANSWER : A. adequacy
Adequacy means the diet supplies enough of each essential nutrient and
energy to meet needs.
SECTION B: DIETARY STANDARDS, GUIDELINES AND FOOD LABELS
11. The DRI value representing the intake that meets the needs of half
of the healthy people in a life-stage group is the
A. Estimated Average Requirement (EAR)
B. Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL)
C. Adequate Intake (AI)
D. Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA)
ANSWER : A. Estimated Average Requirement (EAR)
The EAR is set at the median requirement and is the basis for
calculating the RDA.
12. The RDA is set at a level that meets the needs of approximately
what proportion of healthy people?
A. 100 percent
B. 75 percent
C. 50 percent
D. 97 to 98 percent
ANSWER : D. 97 to 98 percent
The RDA is two standard deviations above the EAR, covering nearly all
healthy individuals.
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NHM 311 - PARKS | VERIFIED EXAM QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS - LATEST VERSION 2026/2027
NHM 311 Parkes
HUMAN NUTRITION ACROSS THE LIFE CYCLE
1. Which of the following is classified as an energy-yielding nutrient?
A. Protein
B. Vitamin C
C. Water
D. Calcium
ANSWER : A. Protein
Carbohydrate, fat and protein supply kilocalories; vitamins, minerals
and water do not provide energy.
Page 1 of 51
,Human Nutrition Across the Life Cycle
2. How many kilocalories does one gram of fat provide?
A. 12
B. 4
C. 9
D. 7
ANSWER : C. 9
Fat yields 9 kcal per gram, more than twice the 4 kcal per gram supplied
by carbohydrate or protein.
3. One gram of alcohol supplies approximately how many kilocalories?
A. 7
B. 4
C. 9
D. 0
ANSWER : A. 7
Alcohol provides 7 kcal per gram, yet it is not a nutrient because the
body has no requirement for it.
4. A nutrient that the body cannot make in sufficient amounts and must
obtain from food is described as
A. organic
B. essential
C. phytochemical
D. functional
ANSWER : B. essential
Essential nutrients must come from the diet because the body cannot
synthesize them in adequate quantities.
5. Which class of nutrients is inorganic?
A. Vitamins
B. Proteins
C. Lipids
D. Minerals
ANSWER : D. Minerals
Minerals contain no carbon and therefore are inorganic; the other three
classes are carbon-based.
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,Human Nutrition Across the Life Cycle
6. A meal contains 30 g carbohydrate, 10 g fat and 20 g protein. How
many kilocalories does it provide?
A. 290 kcal
B. 330 kcal
C. 240 kcal
D. 260 kcal
ANSWER : A. 290 kcal
(30 x 4) + (10 x 9) + (20 x 4) = 120 + 90 + 80 = 290 kcal.
7. In the meal described in the previous question, approximately what
percentage of the energy comes from fat?
A. 22%
B. 45%
C. 31%
D. 17%
ANSWER : C. 31%
Fat supplies 90 kcal of 290 total kcal, which is about 31 percent.
8. Which research design is best able to establish a cause-and-effect
relationship between a nutrient and a health outcome?
A. Epidemiological observation
B. Randomized controlled trial
C. Case-control study
D. Cross-sectional survey
ANSWER : B. Randomized controlled trial
Random assignment and a control group allow researchers to attribute
differences in outcome to the intervention itself.
9. Nutrient density refers to the
A. amount of nutrients a food provides relative to its kilocalories
B. water content of a food
C. weight of a standard serving
D. number of kilocalories per gram of food
ANSWER : A. amount of nutrients a food provides relative to its
kilocalories
Nutrient-dense foods deliver many vitamins and minerals for relatively
few kilocalories.
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, Human Nutrition Across the Life Cycle
10. A diet that provides all essential nutrients, fiber and energy in
amounts sufficient to maintain health best illustrates the principle of
A. adequacy
B. kcal control
C. moderation
D. variety
ANSWER : A. adequacy
Adequacy means the diet supplies enough of each essential nutrient and
energy to meet needs.
SECTION B: DIETARY STANDARDS, GUIDELINES AND FOOD LABELS
11. The DRI value representing the intake that meets the needs of half
of the healthy people in a life-stage group is the
A. Estimated Average Requirement (EAR)
B. Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL)
C. Adequate Intake (AI)
D. Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA)
ANSWER : A. Estimated Average Requirement (EAR)
The EAR is set at the median requirement and is the basis for
calculating the RDA.
12. The RDA is set at a level that meets the needs of approximately
what proportion of healthy people?
A. 100 percent
B. 75 percent
C. 50 percent
D. 97 to 98 percent
ANSWER : D. 97 to 98 percent
The RDA is two standard deviations above the EAR, covering nearly all
healthy individuals.
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