Nutrition Careers
This healthcare professional can provide Medical Nutrition Therapy and help manage conditions such as diabetes
Dietitian / Registered Dietitian
Name all five MyPlate food groups
Fruits, vegetables, grains, protein, dairy
This should be the first thing you check because all calories and nutrient amounts are based on it.
Serving size
This macronutrient is the body's main source of energy.
Carbohydrates
A patient with high blood pressure should pay especially close attention to this nutrient on a food label.
Sodium
What major difference separates a dietitian from a general nutritionist?
Dietitians complete specialized education/supervised training and can treat medical nutrition concerns/provide MNT
MyPlate recommends approximately this fraction of the plate be fruits and vegetables combined.
One-half
A food contains 300 calories per serving. A student eats 2 servings. How many calories were consumed?
600 calories
This type of carbohydrate cannot be fully digested and helps support digestive health
Fiber
A patient recovering from surgery may need more of this macronutrient to help repair tissue.
Protein
This credential stands for a nationally recognized professional qualification for dietitians
RD or RDN
An athlete, a patient with diabetes, and an older adult should not automatically receive identical meal plans. Name two factors that should be assessed first.
Any two: age, activity level, medical conditions, allergies/restrictions, food preferences, health goals, health history, nutrient needs
A label lists 280 calories and 850 mg sodium per serving. If someone eats 2 servings, give both totals.
560 calories and 1,700 mg sodium
These vitamins are stored in body fat: A, D, E, and K.
Fat-soluble vitamins
A dietitian treating a patient with Type 2 diabetes would likely pay close attention to carbohydrates because they influence this.
Blood glucose/blood sugar
What does MNT stand for, and what is its purpose?
Medical Nutrition Therapy; nutrition assessment/treatment used to manage medical conditions
A lunch has grilled chicken, brown rice, broccoli, and milk. Which MyPlate group is missing?
Fruit
A food contains sodium at 37% DV per serving. A person eats 2 servings. Approximately what percentage of the Daily Value did they consume?
74% DV
Butter is replaced with olive oil. This swap generally reduces one type of fat while increasing another healthier type. Name both.
Decreases saturated fat; increases unsaturated fat
A patient has high LDL cholesterol. Which type of dietary fat should generally be limited, and why?
Saturated fat; excess can raise LDL cholesterol and increase heart-disease risk
A person wants help with general wellness education but has no medical condition. Another has diabetes requiring individualized nutrition treatment. Which professional is more appropriate for each?
Nutritionist may provide general wellness education; dietitian/RDN is appropriate for medical nutrition treatment
A patient with Type 2 diabetes and hypertension eats fried chicken, fries, soda, and cookies. Give three realistic substitutions a dietitian could recommend.
Examples: grilled chicken, baked potato/vegetables, water, fruit, whole grains, lower-sodium foods; accept reasonable equivalents
Food A has fiber 3% DV and added sugar 25% DV. Food B has fiber 20% DV and added sugar 5% DV. Which is generally the better choice, and justify using both nutrients.
Food B; it has more fiber and less added sugar
Explain the difference between macronutrients and micronutrients and give one example of each.
Macronutrients are needed in larger amounts, e.g. carbohydrate/protein/fat; micronutrients are needed in smaller amounts, e.g. vitamins/minerals
A dietitian learns that a patient has diabetes, is physically active, has a milk allergy, and wants to lose weight. Why would simply giving the patient a standard MyPlate meal be inadequate?
The plan must be individualized for medical condition, activity level, allergy/restriction, health goals, and nutrient needs.