Question 1

Beriberi is a disease caused by the deficiency of which B vitamin?

Accepted Answer

Beriberi is caused by deficiency of Vitamin B1 (thiamine). This disease affects the nervous system and heart, causing weakness, nerve damage (peripheral neuropathy), and in severe cases, heart failure. It was historically common in populations consuming polished white rice without thiamine supplementation.

Question 2

Scurvy is a disease caused by deficiency of which vitamin?

Accepted Answer

Scurvy is caused by prolonged deficiency of Vitamin C (ascorbic acid). This disease was historically common among sailors on long voyages who lacked access to fresh fruits and vegetables. Symptoms include bleeding gums, poor wound healing, and weakness.

Question 3

Which of the following vitamins is primarily responsible for the absorption of calcium in the human body?

Accepted Answer

Vitamin D is essential for calcium absorption in the intestines and plays a crucial role in bone health and mineralization. Without adequate Vitamin D, the body cannot efficiently absorb dietary calcium, leading to weak bones and conditions like rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults.

Question 4

Which of the following is a water-soluble vitamin that acts as a coenzyme in energy metabolism?

Accepted Answer

B vitamins, particularly B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin), and B5 (pantothenic acid), are water-soluble vitamins that function as coenzymes in energy metabolism. They help convert carbohydrates, fats, and proteins into ATP (adenosine triphosphate), the cell's energy currency.

Question 5

Kwashiorkor is a form of protein malnutrition that primarily affects which age group?

Accepted Answer

Kwashiorkor is a severe form of protein malnutrition that primarily affects young children, typically between 1 and 3 years of age, particularly in developing countries with inadequate dietary protein intake. It is characterized by edema (swelling), fatty liver, skin lesions, and hair discoloration.

Question 6

Kwashiorkor is a severe form of malnutrition primarily caused by deficiency of which nutrient?

Accepted Answer

Kwashiorkor is a form of protein-energy malnutrition (PEM) caused primarily by severe protein deficiency, though calorie intake may be relatively adequate. It is characterized by edema, enlarged liver, skin lesions, and hair discoloration. It is distinct from marasmus, which results from deficiency of both protein and calories.

Question 7

Which of the following vitamins is primarily responsible for calcium absorption in the human body and is synthesized when skin is exposed to sunlight?

Accepted Answer

Vitamin D is essential for calcium absorption in the intestines and is synthesized in the skin when exposed to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from sunlight. This is why it is often called the 'sunshine vitamin.' Deficiency of Vitamin D leads to rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults.

Question 8

Which of the following vitamins is synthesized by the human body when skin is exposed to sunlight?

Accepted Answer

Vitamin D is synthesized in the skin when exposed to ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation from sunlight. This is why it is often called the 'sunshine vitamin.' The body converts 7-dehydrocholesterol in the skin to previtamin D3, which is then converted to active vitamin D in the liver and kidneys.

Question 9

Beriberi is a deficiency disease caused by the lack of which vitamin?

Accepted Answer

Beriberi is caused by deficiency of Vitamin B1 (thiamine). This disease was historically common in populations consuming polished white rice as a staple, as the thiamine-rich bran and germ are removed during processing. Symptoms include nerve damage, muscle weakness, and cardiac problems.

Question 10

Which disease is caused by the deficiency of Vitamin C in the human body?

Accepted Answer

Scurvy is caused by Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) deficiency. Vitamin C is essential for collagen synthesis, and its absence leads to weakened connective tissues, bleeding gums, poor wound healing, and anemia. Historically, scurvy affected sailors on long voyages lacking fresh fruits and vegetables.

Question 11

Kwashiorkor is a severe form of protein-energy malnutrition. Which of the following is NOT a characteristic clinical feature of Kwashiorkor?

Accepted Answer

Kwashiorkor is protein deficiency with adequate calories, causing edema, fatty liver, skin lesions, and hair changes. Marasmus (not Kwashiorkor) is characterized by severe wasting and absence of edema due to total caloric deficiency.

Question 12

Pellagra is a disease caused by deficiency of Vitamin B3 (Niacin). Which of the following is the correct sequence of the '4 Ds' classically associated with Pellagra?

Accepted Answer

Pellagra presents with the '4 Ds': Dermatitis, Diarrhea, Dementia, and Death (if untreated). This mnemonic helps recall the progression of symptoms in Niacin deficiency.

Question 13

Which vitamin deficiency causes Beriberi, a disease affecting the nervous system and heart?

Accepted Answer

Beriberi is caused by deficiency of Vitamin B1 (Thiamine). This water-soluble vitamin is essential for carbohydrate metabolism and nerve function. The disease was historically common in populations consuming polished rice without thiamine-rich bran.

Question 14

Which of the following vitamins is synthesized by the human body and does NOT require dietary intake for its primary production?

Accepted Answer

Vitamin D is synthesized in the skin upon exposure to ultraviolet-B (UVB) radiation from sunlight. The 7-dehydrocholesterol in the skin is converted to previtamin D3, which is then thermally isomerized to vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol). While dietary sources exist, the body can produce sufficient vitamin D endogenously, making it unique among essential vitamins. Other vitamins (A, B12, C) must be obtained primarily through diet as the human body cannot synthesize them.

Question 15

Which of the following statements about Rickets is INCORRECT?

Accepted Answer

Rickets is caused by Vitamin D deficiency (or calcium deficiency), leading to defective mineralization of bone matrix. It primarily affects growing children and causes skeletal deformities, not neurological damage as a primary feature.

Question 16

Scurvy is caused by deficiency of which vitamin, and which body system is primarily affected?

Accepted Answer

Scurvy results from Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid) deficiency. Vitamin C is essential for collagen synthesis. The disease primarily affects connective tissues, causing bleeding gums, poor wound healing, and weakened blood vessels.

SSC MTS Diseases & Nutrition

Diseases & Nutrition— Rules & Concept

Key Points to Remember

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Diseases & Nutrition — Practice Questions

60-Second Revision — Diseases & Nutrition