Practice Quiz

What physiological changes in the elderly increase their risk for dehydration?

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• • Decreased kidney function

  
  

• • Enhanced fluid absorption

  
  

• • Increased total body water

  
  

• • Elevated thirst perception

  
  

Answer explanation

• Elderly individuals often have a diminished ability to conserve water due to decreased kidney function.

Apart from increased tooth decay, what is another dental health issue that can arise from decreased salivary secretion?

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• • Enhanced enamel strength

  
  

• • Reduced risk of gum disease

  
  

• • Difficulty with speech and chewing

  
  

• • Lower incidence of oral infections

  
  

Answer explanation

• Reduced saliva can make it more challenging to speak and chew due to the lack of lubrication and the role saliva plays in the digestive process.

How might aging affect the absorption of nutrients in the GI tract?

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• • Enhanced absorption due to increased gut flora diversity

  
  

• • Reduced absorption due to changes in the GI mucosa

  
  

• • Unchanged absorption as the GI tract is not affected by aging

  
  

• • Improved absorption due to increased GI motility

  
  

Answer explanation

• Aging can lead to changes like atrophic gastritis or decreased surface area in the intestines, affecting nutrient absorption.

Which of the following is NOT a way in which regular exercise can influence gastrointestinal health?

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• • Reducing the risk of colon cancer

  
  

• • Increasing GI transit time

  
  

• • Decreasing the efficiency of nutrient absorption

  
  

• • Improving overall GI motility

  
  

Answer explanation

• Regular exercise generally does not decrease the efficiency of nutrient absorption; it may actually improve it by increasing blood flow to the digestive tract.

What adaptation may seniors need to make in their diet due to changes in the GI tract with aging?

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• Increased fiber to promote large intestine motility

  
  

• • Decreased protein to ease renal processing

  
  

  
  

• • Elevated caloric intake to compensate for increased metabolism

  
  

  
  

• Reduced carbohydrate intake to prevent rapid gastric emptying

  
  

Answer explanation

• A common change with aging is reduced motility in the large intestine, which can lead to constipation. Increasing dietary fiber can help to alleviate this issue.