Central Sterile Services Department (CSSD) Practice Exam

What is an important consideration when establishing weight gain or loss goals?

1. Overall diet quality

2. Sleep patterns

3. The individual's age

4. The individual's gender

The correct answer is: The individual's gender

An important consideration when establishing weight gain or loss goals is the individual's gender. Gender can influence several physiological factors related to body composition, metabolism, and hormonal balance. Men and women often have different body fat distributions and muscle mass percentages, which can affect their caloric needs and how they respond to weight loss or gain interventions. For example, generally speaking, men tend to have a higher muscle mass, which requires more calories to maintain, while women typically have a higher percentage of body fat. This difference means that caloric intake and expenditure calculations might need to differ based on gender to achieve realistic and healthy weight goals. While age, overall diet quality, and sleep patterns are also significant factors in weight management, they do not inherently create the same level of metabolic difference present between genders. Age can affect metabolism and body composition, but the influence of gender on these aspects is more pronounced and foundational when tailoring specific weight objectives.