HESI A2 Reading Comprehension Related

Without a doubt, one of the biggest risks to the elderly today is falling. It is also one of the most common accidents that people age 65 and older experience. Some just receive a few bumps and bruises, while others are hurt so badly that they cannot ever fully recover. U.S. health officials surveyed thousands of elderly people and found that approximately one in six of them had fallen in the past three months. A third of these people sustained considerable injuries, including the most dreaded break of all, a hip fracture. Approximately 16,000 people even died from the injuries they suffered, whereas even more were left completely disabled.

Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) epidemiologist Judy Stevens stated, "It's a tremendous public health problem because so many older adults are affected." It only takes one fall to completely steal an older person's self-confidence. According to a CDC report, "Even when those injuries are minor, they can seriously affect older adults' quality of life by inducing a fear of falling, which can lead to self-imposed activity restrictions, social isolation, and depression."

Along with an admonition to move slowly and carefully, the CDC also recommends that the elderly get enough gentle exercise or physical therapy to help strengthen their muscles and improve their balance. This will not only reduce the number of falls but also give a real boost to older adults' self-esteem.

What is the meaning of the word 'admonition' as used in the last paragraph?

• A. Permission
• B. Prescription
• C. Caution
• D. Verdict

VEGETERIAN DIET:
By studying the role diet might have in the prevention of cancer, recent studies have also noted that a vegetarian, or meatless, diet can help improve a person's overall health. A true vegetarian diet consists of a variety of grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and pulses—edible seeds from legumes such as peas, beans, and lentils. A modified vegetarian diet, known as lacto-ovo vegetarian, may include dairy products and eggs. A vegan diet excludes any food with animal origins, including butter, eggs, and honey.
When properly planned, a true vegetarian diet can provide a person with all essential nutrients, protein, and carbohydrates. In one study, researchers at Oxford University noted that overall, a vegetarian diet is lower in saturated fats and higher in fiber than other diets. The study noted that people who followed a vegetarian diet were generally found to have lower cholesterol and lower BMI (a measure of body fat based on a person's weight and height) and to be at a lower risk for certain types of heart disease. From the evidence presented, researchers suggested that the adoption of a vegetarian diet could prevent more than 30,000 deaths a year that are attributed to heart disease.
Other available information indicates that vegetarians live, on average, seven years longer than meat eaters do. Throughout the world, breast, colon, and prostate cancers are more common among people who have a high-fat, high-meat, low-fiber diet. Former Surgeon General C. Everett Coop has said that diet is a factor in 70 percent of all people who die from disease in the United States. On the whole, vegetarians are less likely to be afflicted with chronic diseases than those who make meat a centerpiece of their diet.

A vegetarian diet is said to lower all of the following EXCEPT ___________.

• A. The need for protein
• B. The percentage of body fat
• C. The risk of heart disease
• D. Cholesterol

THE CDC:
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is always busy monitoring health issues and sending out regular warnings to make sure people know of any impending threats. One of the most recent warnings, however, caught Americans by surprise. The CDC announced that one of today's most under-recognized public health problems is sleep loss. It is estimated that between 50 and 70 million Americans suffer from this problem. Adequate sleep is essential to good mental and physical health. If you do not get enough sleep on a regular basis, you run an increased risk of obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, cardiovascular disease, depression, cigarette smoking, and excessive drinking. Those are not minor health issues!
To find out how many Americans are not getting enough sleep, the CDC surveyed almost 20,000 adults in four states. Ten percent of the people studied reported not getting enough sleep every single day of the previous month, and 38 percent reported not getting enough in seven or more days in the previous month. How much sleep is enough sleep? According to the National Sleep Foundation, adults need 7 to 9 hours each night, whereas children under 12 need 9 to 11 hours and teenagers need between 8½ and 9½ hours.
Unfortunately, instead of sleeping, many people stay up late at night to surf the Internet or watch television. Along with the health risks that chronic sleep loss can bring, experts also believe it is responsible for thousands of people who die on the road each year from accidents caused by sleepy drivers. There is no doubt that spending less time with eyes closed can make your days longer, your health worse, and your driving riskier.

All of the following are mentioned in the passage as potential risks from inadequate sleep EXCEPT ___________.

• A. Cancer
• B. Obesity
• C. Diabetes
• D. Depression

VEGETERIAN DIET:
By studying the role diet might have in the prevention of cancer, recent studies have also noted that a vegetarian, or meatless, diet can help improve a person's overall health. A true vegetarian diet consists of a variety of grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and pulses—edible seeds from legumes such as peas, beans, and lentils. A modified vegetarian diet, known as lacto-ovo vegetarian, may include dairy products and eggs. A vegan diet excludes any food with animal origins, including butter, eggs, and honey.
When properly planned, a true vegetarian diet can provide a person with all essential nutrients, protein, and carbohydrates. In one study, researchers at Oxford University noted that overall, a vegetarian diet is lower in saturated fats and higher in fiber than other diets. The study noted that people who followed a vegetarian diet were generally found to have lower cholesterol and lower BMI (a measure of body fat based on a person's weight and height) and to be at a lower risk for certain types of heart disease. From the evidence presented, researchers suggested that the adoption of a vegetarian diet could prevent more than 30,000 deaths a year that are attributed to heart disease.
Other available information indicates that vegetarians live, on average, seven years longer than meat eaters do. Throughout the world, breast, colon, and prostate cancers are more common among people who have a high-fat, high-meat, low-fiber diet. Former Surgeon General C. Everett Coop has said that diet is a factor in 70 percent of all people who die from disease in the United States. On the whole, vegetarians are less likely to be afflicted with chronic diseases than those who make meat a centerpiece of their diet.

What is the meaning of the word "pulses" as it appears in the first paragraph?

• A. The regular throbbing of the arteries caused by successive contractions of the heart
• B. The general attitude of the public or a specific population toward health concerns
• C. The edible seeds produced by legumes such as peas, beans, or lentils
• D. Any type of food with animal origins such as butter, honey, or eggs

EXERCISE:
It sounds contradictory, but here is some new advice for people who are feeling unusually tired: get out and get some exercise. Studies have shown that regular, low-impact workouts such as short strolls or brief bike rides can help increase overall energy levels by 20 percent and decrease fatigue levels by 65 percent. In other words, if you are feeling tired, the best way to feel more energetic is to get some exercise.
This advice is based on a study done by the University of Georgia's Exercise Pathology Lab. Three dozen people who did not get any kind of regular exercise yet consistently felt exhausted were divided into three groups. One group did not exercise at all. A second group worked out intensively on an exercise bike three times a week. The third group also worked out but at a slower pace. Of the two groups that exercised, both reported a 20 percent increase in energy levels. However, the group that exercised at a more leisurely pace stated that they experienced far less fatigue than the high-intensity group.
This was not the first study to point out a link between regular exercise and energy levels. The same team that conducted it also published one several years ago that stated that low-impact exercise can also help reduce fatigue in patients with serious health conditions such as heart disease and cancer. Clearly, it is time to get off the couch and onto the track.

Which statement could be inferred from the passage?

• A. The Georgia lab had conducted a previous study on the connection between exercise and energy.
• B. Exercise regimes are not recommended for patients with serious health problems.
• C. An increase in energy levels does not always correspond directly to a reduction in fatigue.
• D. There were fewer than 10 participants in each group in the Georgia study.