Physiological AdaptationQuestion 829 of 2368
A client has been starving for several weeks. Which nitrogen balance should the nurse expect?
- Positive, because more nitrogen is taken in than is excreted
- Negative, because more nitrogen is excreted than is taken in
- Positive, because excess protein is being stored as fat tissue
- Balanced, because nitrogen intake equals nitrogen excretion
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Correct answer: Negative, because more nitrogen is excreted than is taken in
Starvation causes the body to excrete more nitrogen than it takes in. This is called negative nitrogen balance.
Source: Nursing Health Promotion (Open RN, Chippewa Valley Technical College, 2025), Healthy Diets: Essential Nutrients. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
Practice the topic "Physiological Adaptation"Questions last reviewed: 18 October 2026