ACSM Health Assessment 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which anthropometric measurement best predicts visceral fat accumulation and associated metabolic risk?
- Body mass index (BMI)
- Skinfold thickness at the triceps
- Waist circumference (Correct answer)
- Hip circumference
Correct answer: Waist circumference
Waist circumference is the single best anthropometric predictor of visceral adiposity and associated cardiovascular and metabolic disease risk.
Question 2: During a health interview, a client mentions she takes a beta-blocker medication. How will this most likely affect her exercise heart rate response?
- Heart rate will be elevated at rest and during exercise
- Heart rate will be blunted during exercise (Correct answer)
- Heart rate response will be unaffected
- Heart rate will increase more rapidly than normal
Correct answer: Heart rate will be blunted during exercise
Beta-blockers inhibit sympathetic stimulation of the heart, attenuating the heart rate rise during exercise and making HR-based intensity monitoring less accurate.
Question 3: What does a positive Trendelenburg sign during a functional movement screen indicate?
- Weakness of the hip flexors on the weight-bearing side
- Weakness of the hip abductors on the weight-bearing side (Correct answer)
- Tightness of the IT band bilaterally
- Insufficient ankle dorsiflexion
Correct answer: Weakness of the hip abductors on the weight-bearing side
A positive Trendelenburg sign (pelvis drops on the non-weight-bearing side) indicates weakness of the hip abductors, primarily the gluteus medius, on the stance limb.
Question 4: During orthostatic blood pressure assessment, a clinically significant drop is defined as a decrease in systolic BP of at least how many mmHg upon standing?
- 5 mmHg
- 10 mmHg
- 20 mmHg (Correct answer)
- 30 mmHg
Correct answer: 20 mmHg
Orthostatic hypotension is defined as a drop of ≥20 mmHg systolic (or ≥10 mmHg diastolic) within 3 minutes of standing from a supine position.
Question 5: Which spirometry value is used to determine obstructive vs. restrictive pulmonary disease and is expressed as a ratio?
- FVC alone
- FEV1 alone
- FEV1/FVC ratio (Correct answer)
- Peak expiratory flow rate
Correct answer: FEV1/FVC ratio
The FEV1/FVC ratio distinguishes obstructive disease (ratio <0.70) from restrictive disease (low FVC but normal or elevated ratio).
Question 6: A health fitness specialist calculates a client's estimated VO2max at 35 mL/kg/min. What classification does this fall under for a 45-year-old male according to ACSM norms?
- Superior
- Excellent
- Fair
- Good (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Good
For a 45–49 year-old male, a VO2max of 35 mL/kg/min falls in the 'Good' category according to ACSM fitness classification norms.
Question 7: Which health assessment tool uses self-reported leisure-time physical activity to estimate cardiovascular fitness without exercise testing?
- Astrand-Rhyming nomogram
- Non-exercise test prediction equation (Correct answer)
- Bruce treadmill protocol
- Balke treadmill protocol
Correct answer: Non-exercise test prediction equation
Non-exercise test prediction equations use demographic data and self-reported physical activity levels to estimate VO2max without requiring a formal exercise test.
ACSM Health Assessment 3
Which anthropometric measurement best predicts visceral fat accumulation and associated metabolic risk?