Public health nutrition and community nutrition education MCQs With Answer

Public health nutrition and community nutrition education are essential topics for B. Pharm students preparing to support population health. This introduction covers key concepts such as nutritional assessment, micronutrient interventions, program planning, nutrition surveillance, behavior change communication, food fortification, maternal and child nutrition, and the pharmacist’s role in counseling, supplementation, and managing drug‑nutrient interactions. Understanding policies, monitoring and evaluation, and community mobilization equips pharmacy graduates to contribute to public health programs, school feeding, and preventive care. These MCQs focus on applied knowledge, program strategies, epidemiology, and practical community education skills relevant to pharmacy practice. Now let’s test your knowledge with 30 MCQs on this topic.

Q1. Which indicator is most appropriate for assessing acute malnutrition in children under five at community level?

• Height-for-age (stunting)
• Weight-for-height (wasting)
• Weight-for-age
• Body mass index (BMI) for age

Correct Answer: Weight-for-height (wasting)

Q2. What is the primary goal of nutrition surveillance in public health?

• Provide individualized diet plans
• Monitor population nutritional status and detect trends
• Promote commercial fortified foods
• Train pharmacists in clinical nutrition

Correct Answer: Monitor population nutritional status and detect trends

Q3. Which micronutrient deficiency is commonly targeted by universal salt iodization programs?

• Iron
• Iodine
• Vitamin A
• Calcium

Correct Answer: Iodine

Q4. In community nutrition education, the PRECEDE-PROCEED model is primarily used for:

• Clinical diagnosis of malnutrition
• Designing, implementing, and evaluating health promotion programs
• Estimating nutrient requirements
• Formulating drug-nutrient interaction lists

Correct Answer: Designing, implementing, and evaluating health promotion programs

Q5. Which programme in India focuses on integrated child development, including supplementary nutrition and preschool education?

• National Health Mission (NHM)
• Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS)
• Mid-Day Meal Scheme
• National Iron Plus Initiative

Correct Answer: Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS)

Q6. For preventing iron deficiency anemia in pregnant women, which public health intervention is most widely recommended?

• Universal vitamin D supplementation
• Daily iron and folic acid supplementation
• Iodized salt distribution
• Routine calcium supplements only

Correct Answer: Daily iron and folic acid supplementation

Q7. Which anthropometric measure is best for assessing long-term nutritional status in children?

• Weight-for-height
• Mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC)
• Height-for-age (stunting)
• Head circumference

Correct Answer: Height-for-age (stunting)

Q8. In community nutrition education, which communication strategy focuses on changing individual behavior through skills, motivation, and knowledge?

• Social marketing
• Behavior change communication (BCC)
• Legislative advocacy
• Surveillance reporting

Correct Answer: Behavior change communication (BCC)

Q9. Which indicator from a national survey would best help planners evaluate progress in child nutrition over time?

• Prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding at 6 months
• National GDP growth rate
• Number of pharmacies per 10,000 population
• Average hospital bed occupancy

Correct Answer: Prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding at 6 months

Q10. Food fortification differs from supplementation because fortification:

• Targets individuals through pills
• Adds nutrients to commonly consumed foods at population level
• Is only for emergency settings
• Requires prescription by a healthcare provider

Correct Answer: Adds nutrients to commonly consumed foods at population level

Q11. Which of the following is a primary role of pharmacists in community nutrition programs?

• Performing surgical nutrition interventions
• Counseling on drug–nutrient interactions and advising on supplements
• Designing agricultural policies
• Replacing dietitians in clinical settings

Correct Answer: Counseling on drug–nutrient interactions and advising on supplements

Q12. The term ‘hidden hunger’ refers to:

• Overeating in urban populations
• Micronutrient deficiencies despite adequate caloric intake
• Foodborne illness outbreaks
• Lack of access to clean water

Correct Answer: Micronutrient deficiencies despite adequate caloric intake

Q13. Which method is quick, low-cost, and suitable for screening acute malnutrition in field surveys among children aged 6–59 months?

• Serum albumin measurement
• Mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC)
• Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA)
• 24-hour dietary recall

Correct Answer: Mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC)

Q14. Which nutrient is most critical for preventing neural tube defects when given periconceptionally?

• Vitamin C
• Folic acid (folate)
• Vitamin B12 only
• Iron

Correct Answer: Folic acid (folate)

Q15. In designing a community nutrition education session, the SMART objective refers to objectives that are:

• Simple, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time-bound
• Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound
• Sequential, Mandatory, Accessible, Realistic, Timely
• Systematic, Marketable, Adjustable, Reliable, Tangible

Correct Answer: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound

Q16. A community-level intervention to reduce vitamin A deficiency commonly includes:

• High-dose periodic vitamin A supplementation for children
• Low-sodium diets for adults
• Universal calcium tablets for adolescents
• Removal of dietary fat from meals

Correct Answer: High-dose periodic vitamin A supplementation for children

Q17. Which epidemiological measure describes the number of new cases of malnutrition in a population during a specified period?

• Prevalence
• Incidence
• Mortality rate
• Case fatality rate

Correct Answer: Incidence

Q18. The Minimum Dietary Diversity for Women (MDD-W) indicator assesses:

• Micronutrient adequacy of women’s diets using food group diversity
• Caloric intake per household
• BMI distribution among adolescent girls
• Exclusive breastfeeding practices

Correct Answer: Micronutrient adequacy of women’s diets using food group diversity

Q19. Which component is essential in monitoring and evaluation (M&E) of nutrition programs?

• Randomized allocation of pharmacies
• Clear indicators, baseline data, and periodic assessment
• Only qualitative interviews without indicators
• Exclusive focus on resource procurement

Correct Answer: Clear indicators, baseline data, and periodic assessment

Q20. Which of the following is a common dietary counseling point for a patient on warfarin to avoid interaction?

• Increase intake of high-vitamin K foods suddenly
• Avoid consistent intake of vitamin K–rich foods and inform prescriber of changes
• Stop all green leafy vegetables
• Double the warfarin dose if eating broccoli

Correct Answer: Avoid consistent intake of vitamin K–rich foods and inform prescriber of changes

Q21. Which national survey in India provides data on nutrition, health, and family welfare indicators useful for program planning?

• National Family Health Survey (NFHS)
• Global Nutrition Report
• World Health Survey
• Pharmacy Practice Survey

Correct Answer: National Family Health Survey (NFHS)

Q22. The most appropriate immediate action for suspected severe acute malnutrition with complications in a child is:

• Home-based counseling only
• Refer for inpatient management with therapeutic feeding
• Give a multi-vitamin tablet and observe
• Provide complementary foods without medical evaluation

Correct Answer: Refer for inpatient management with therapeutic feeding

Q23. In community nutrition education, participatory rural appraisal techniques are used to:

• Impose externally designed interventions
• Engage communities in assessing their own needs and planning solutions
• Calculate RDAs for individuals
• Replace household surveys entirely

Correct Answer: Engage communities in assessing their own needs and planning solutions

Q24. Which dietary assessment method is most suitable for determining usual intake patterns in a population survey?

• Single 24-hour dietary recall
• Multiple 24-hour recalls or food frequency questionnaires (FFQ)
• Serum nutrient assays only
• Direct observation for every meal for a year

Correct Answer: Multiple 24-hour recalls or food frequency questionnaires (FFQ)

Q25. What is the role of fortified complementary foods in infant nutrition programs?

• Replace exclusive breastfeeding in first 6 months
• Provide additional micronutrients and energy when complementary feeding begins
• Reduce need for maternal nutrition during pregnancy
• Ensure adults meet protein requirements

Correct Answer: Provide additional micronutrients and energy when complementary feeding begins

Q26. Which policy measure helps improve access to nutritious foods for school-age children?

• Removing physical education from schools
• Implementing school feeding programs with nutrient standards
• Increasing taxes only on pharmaceutical supplements
• Limiting water access during school hours

Correct Answer: Implementing school feeding programs with nutrient standards

Q27. Which statement best describes social determinants of nutrition?

• Only genetic factors determine nutritional status
• Socioeconomic, cultural, environmental, and political factors influencing diet and health
• Nutrition is unrelated to education and income
• Only food availability matters, not social context

Correct Answer: Socioeconomic, cultural, environmental, and political factors influencing diet and health

Q28. Which assessment is most helpful to identify community-level food insecurity?

• Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS)
• Bone mineral density test
• Serum cholesterol screening
• Random blood glucose in schools

Correct Answer: Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS)

Q29. In mass communication for nutrition education, what is an advantage of using peer educators from the community?

• They always have formal medical qualifications
• They enhance trust, cultural relevance, and sustainability of messages
• They replace the need for monitoring and evaluation
• They limit reach to health professionals only

Correct Answer: They enhance trust, cultural relevance, and sustainability of messages

Q30. Which evaluation question assesses the efficiency of a nutrition program?

• Did the program achieve the expected change in nutritional status?
• How cost-effective were the program activities in relation to outcomes?
• What is the prevalence of malnutrition at baseline?
• Who are the program beneficiaries?

Correct Answer: How cost-effective were the program activities in relation to outcomes?

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