Clinical Nutritionist Practice Test 2025 - Free Practice Questions and Study Guide

Drugs can significantly influence food intake by altering appetite and causing nausea. This occurs because certain medications act on the central nervous system or affect hormones that regulate hunger and satiety. For instance, some drugs may suppress appetite by increasing levels of neurotransmitters that signal fullness, while others might induce feelings of nausea, making individuals less likely to eat. This dual effect can lead to decreased food intake, which is a critical consideration for clinical nutritionists when assessing a patient’s dietary habits and nutritional status.

In contrast, while enhancing digestion, improving nutrient absorption, and increasing metabolic rate are important factors in nutrition, they do not directly impact food intake in the same way. Enhancing digestion and nutrient absorption improves the body’s ability to process food that is consumed, but does not influence the desire to eat. Similarly, increasing metabolic rate affects how the body uses energy once food has been eaten but does not directly change how much food a person chooses to consume. Therefore, the specific mechanisms through which drugs influence appetite and potential nausea make the correct answer focused on their effects on food intake.