IB Biology – SL
OPTION A – HUMAN NUTRITION &
HEALTH
This is a long term project that you will be working on over the next 8-9 weeks.
The project will be due in various parts
1) Eating Right for a Healthier Life Webquest – Monday 26th of August – hand in on
Monday the 2nd of September)
2) Class Presentation – Content Outline by19th of September; Actual Presentation:
on Monday 23.September
3) Wiki page - by the 27th of September
4) Design Lab – 7th of October
5) Data Based Questions & Mini Essay – 14th and 17th of October
6) Moc Exam – week 46-47
The objectives of the project are:
 demonstrate research skills using various sources of information.
 design an experiment to further investigate an aspect of human nutrition
 demonstrate knowledge of the major principles of human nutrition & health
using various formats: personalized healthy eating guide, wiki page; class
presentation; unit exam; scientific report.
Tasks:
1) Eating Right for a Healthier Life Webquest - go to the following url & follow the
instructions to complete Tasks 1-4.
http://www.altn.org/webquests/nutrition/index.html
2) Class Presentation - (eg powerpoint lecture, documentary style video with script
notes) that addresses one of the areas covered in OPTION A – HUMAN
NUTRITION & HEALTH p 342-349 – you will randomly be allocated to one of the
areas. You may notice that the three areas (A1, A2, A3) are not equal in length but
seeing as you will individually cover each of the areas as either a informative wiki
page or presentation is will all even out.
3) Create an informative wiki page that addresses two out of the three topics
covered in OPTION A – HUMAN NUTRITION & HEALTH
What I will be looking for in the presentation & wiki page: see marking rubric for more
information

Adequate depth when addressing syllabus dot points eg as a guide
you should have Obj 1: 1-2 sentences, Obj 2: 3-5 sentences, Obj 3: 6 +
sentences. This is only a rough guide – sometimes it may be necessary to write
more to in order to put information in context or include some interesting examples.

Extensive use of diagrams, charts, pictures, simulations to help
explain concepts. On the wiki page you should refer to any visual aids in the text don't simply include them for the sake of it.

Information has been referenced & put into your own words. This
will be necessary to get a satisfactory plagiarism report form turn it in.

A vocabulary section included in the wiki page defining any new /
important terms you have not come across in the past.

An engaging, highly informative class presentation.
4) Design an experiment relating to any aspect of human health & nutrition. It
doesn't necessarily have to be specifically relating to the dot points in A1, A2, A3.
For the background research talk about why you selected that particular research
topic eg what info the experiment may provide, how that info could be used.
5) Data Based Questions & Mini Essay – Complete the mini essay & data based
question. This section should take no longer than 130mins & you will need to
complete it in class time (I wont let you take the sheets home).
6) Moc Exam - Use the information learnt form your research, class wikis pages &
presentations (plus my powerpoint lectures) to prepare for a unit exam. I will
allocate 2 lessons before the moc exam to go over the material with you.
Resources

Library has books suitable for this project.

I will deliver a series of lectures covering project content

Myriad of INTERNET resources – remember when using sources from
the net it is important to check the validity of information eg by checking multiple
sites to verify accuracy of information; using credible sites (edu).

You will also receive a copy of the human nutrition & health unit from
the Clegg textbook.
ESSAY & DATA BASED QUESTIONS (130mins)
Essay Topic- Discuss the importance of vitamins and minerals in the diet and the risk of
deficiencies in vegan diets. (25 mins)
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DATA BASED QUESTIONS 1-9
1. In China there is a high occurrence of vitamin D (calciferol) deficiency among adolescents,
particularly in the winter. In 1995, a population study investigated this deficiency in 1248 Beijing girls
aged between 12 and 14 years from three different areas: the countryside, the city suburbs and the city.
Nutrient and energy intake were determined to identify the average diet of the girls. (15 mins)
Nutrient intake
Countryside City Suburbs
City
RDA*
–1
318.00
352.00
396.00
1200.00
0.59
0.75
1.55
10.00
705.00
736.00
764.00
1200.00
–1
47.00
51.00
52.00
80.00
–1
6962.00
7003.00
7021.00
9628.00
Calcium / mg day
–1
Vitamin D / g day
–1
Phosphorus / mg day
Protein / g day
Energy / kJ day
(*)RDA: Chinese recommended daily allowance (RDA) for adolescent females.
[Source: Xueqin Du, et al.,
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, (2001), 74, (4), pages 494–500 Reported with permission by the
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Am J Clin Nutr. American Society for Clinical Nutrition]
(a)
State which group has the greatest vitamin D deficiency.
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(1)
(b)
Compare the nutrient intake of countryside girls and city girls.
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(2)
(c)
(i)
Calculate the mean calcium intake for the three groups.
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(ii)
(1)
Determine what percentage of the RDA the value calculated in (c) (i) represents.
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(1)
(iii) List two different types of food that are good sources of calcium.
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(d)
Suggest ways in which the development of rickets in these girls can be avoided.
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(1)
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(3)
2.
Most nutrition experts will agree that eating breakfast is an important factor for an individual’s
nutritional well being. In North America, breakfast consumption is declining in all age groups.
Of particular concern are young people who increasingly eat no breakfast.
The following table is part of a large investigation that considered the impact of breakfast
consumption on the nutritional needs of children, adolescents and young adults. It shows the
percentage of ten year-olds eating less than two thirds of the recommended daily allowances
(RDA) of selected vitamins and minerals by their breakfast eating habits. (9 mins)
Percentage of ten year-olds eating less than two thirds of the RDA
Nutrient
Breakfast at Home
Breakfast at School
No Breakfast
Vitamin A
13
4
42
Vitamin B6
35
27
58
Vitamin B12
(cyanocobalamin)
3
1
4
Vitamin D
(calciferol)
55
24
88
Vitamin E
45
54
55
Riboflavin
7
2
32
Folic Acid
8
12
43
Thiamin
27
17
47
Niacin
21
27
30
Calcium
25
3
51
Phosphorus
4
2
12
Magnesium
10
2
27
Iron
28
29
42
Zinc
28
16
46
[Source: Theresa A. Nicklas et al., ‘The Importance of Breakfast Consumption to Nutrition of Children, Adolescents
and Young Adults’, Nutrition Today, (2004), 29, pages 30-38, © Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, USA]
(a)
Identify the nutrient for which the lowest percentage of ten-year-olds are deficient.
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(1)
(b) Compare the data for vitamin D (calciferol) in the three breakfast eating habits.
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(2)
(c)
Using the data, discuss whether ten-year-olds should be recommended to eat breakfast at
home or at school.
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3.
(2)
Since 1970 jogging has become an increasingly popular form of exercise, but the public concern
over its harmful effects has been raised following reports of death during jogging.
A randomly selected group of 4658 men in Copenhagen, Denmark, between the ages of 20 and
79, attended two examinations – one in 1976 and the other in 1981. Jogging status was
determined by asking the participants if they were joggers. The influence of jogging on the risk
of death was measured. The results are shown in the table below. Factors, other than jogging,
were also analysed. (15 mins)
Factor
Relative risk of death
Jogging at time of
examinations
No or at only one examination
At both examinations
1.00
0.39
Diabetes
No
Yes
1.00
1.75
Smoking
No
Yes
1.00
1.74
Income
Middle or high
Low
1.00
1.21
Duration of education
< 10 years
>10 years
1.00
0.91
< 21 drinks
Abstainers
> 21 drinks
1.00
1.16
1.35
Alcohol consumption per
week
[Source: P Schorn et al., British Medical Journal, 9 September 2000, 321, pages 602–603]
(a)
State the factor that causes the greatest risk of death in this group of men.
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(1)
(b)
Using only the data given, outline the type of man that has the least risk of death.
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(2)
(c)
Discuss the hypothesis that regular jogging is not associated with increased mortality in
men, using the results obtained in Copenhagen.
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(3)
(d)
Training affects the cardiovascular system, the lungs and the muscles. Explain how each
of these is affected when training by jogging.
(i)
Cardiovascular system:
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(ii)
Lungs:
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.....
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(iii)
Muscles:
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....
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4.
(3)
The body mass index (BMI) is a measure of how heavy a person is for their particular height.
Doctors use it to classify adults into the following categories:
Normal
20.1 – 25
Overweight
25.1 – 30
Obese
30.1 – 40
Very obese
over 40
Scientists collected information on 11 252 pregnant Australian women and their babies.
All values are statistically significant. (9 mins)
BMI category of mother
Characteristic
Normal
Mother
Overweight
Obese
Very obese
Those sharing characteristic / %
Smoker
13.0
14.4
16.6
16.5
Drinks alcohol while
pregnant
2.0
1.8
1.1
1.2
General high blood
pressure
0.5
1.2
3.0
6.9
High blood pressure
disorder during pregnancy
2.4
5.6
9.1
14.5
Diabetic
0.0
0.6
1.4
2.8
Vaginal delivery
77.7
70.5
64.8
57.2
Caesarean delivery
22.3
29.5
35.2
42.8
Stillborn / not living when
delivered
0.5
0.6
0.6
0.8
Birth defect
1.2
1.4
1.9
4.0
Respiratory problems
1.5
1.7
2.2
2.0
Needed mechanical
ventilation
0.4
0.3
0.7
1.2
Low blood sugar
0.6
0.3
1.2
2.8
Jaundice(*)
28.2
27.9
26.5
33.9
Premature
6.7
7.2
7.0
10.4
Require intensive care
4.3
4.0
5.3
10.9
Baby
[Source: Callaway LK et al. The prevalence and impact of overweight and obesity in an Australian obstetric population.
MJA 2006; 184: 56-59. © Copyright 2006. The Medical Journal of Australia - reproduced with permission.]
(*)
Jaundice: is a temporary condition in newborns due to liver immaturity which causes
yellowing of skin and whites of the eyes.
(a)
State the percentage of very obese women who had high blood pressure disorders during
pregnancy.
................ %
(b)
(1)
Calculate the percentage increase in the occurrence of diabetes in women who were
classified as very obese compared to those classified as overweight.
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(1)
(c)
Outline the relationship between the occurrence of birth defects and BMI classification.
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(1)
(d)
Suggest why a higher percentage of babies born to very obese mothers required
admission to intensive care.
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(3)
5.
Retinol (vitamin A) deficiency is a major nutritional problem in India. Normally a good source
of retinol in the diet is β-carotene in green, leafy vegetables, which the body converts into active
retinol. Food scientists wanted to see if drying leaves of two species of crop plant would retain
their nutritional value. Savoy beets (Beta vulgaris) and fenugreek (Trigonella foenum graecum)
were treated in a low temperature drier and stored for nine months at room temperature or 8°C
(cold storage). The leaves were packed in one plastic bag (single packed) or in two plastic bags,
one inside the other, (double packed). The results are shown in the table below. (13 mins)
β-carotene / mg per 100 g of leaves
Plant
Savoy beet
Storage
Single packed
Temperature
Fenugreek
Double packed
Single packed
Double packed
Room
Cold
Room
Cold
Room
Cold
Room
Cold
Start
38.7
38.7
38.7
38.7
38.7
38.7
38.7
38.7
After 3 months
28.4
30.9
33.7
32.8
27.9
28.5
28.7
29.4
After 6 months
23.4
25.3
28.0
30.1
19.4
24.5
23.4
26.0
After 9 months
18.3
18.2
17.9
21.1
8.9
21.1
12.3
23.2
[Source: S Negi and S K Roy (2001), Plant Foods for Human Nutrition, 56, pages 285–295]
(a)
Calculate the percentage loss of β-carotene from the Savoy beets after nine months when
they are
(i)
single packed and cold stored ..........................................................................
(ii)
double packed and cold stored .........................................................................
(2)
(b)
Outline one function of retinol.
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(1)
(c)
Compare the effect of storage after six months at room temperature on the β-carotene
levels in the Savoy beet with fenugreek.
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(2)
(d)
Evaluate the effects of double packing these leaf tissues.
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(2)
(e)
Suggest why there is a difference between single packing and double packing of the dried
leaves.
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(1)
6.
Dieticians studied the effect of dieting in obese adults. They found that although many of the
adults lost body mass when they were prescribed low energy diets, they regained body mass
once the diet was relaxed.
The dieticians wanted to test the hypothesis that during overfeeding, a relatively high
percentage of dietary energy eaten as protein limits the amount of body mass gained.
148 obese adults were selected. They were first given a very low energy diet for one month to
achieve at least 4 kg loss in body mass.
After the first month, the adults were allowed to return to their normal diet but half of them
were given 48.2 g of additional protein per day. The body mass of each adult was measured over
the following three months. The results are shown below. (12 mins)
86
Bodymass / kg
Key:
84
Normal diet with
additional protein
82
Normal diet without
additional protein
80
78
76
74
0
1
2
3
4
Time/ months
[Source: Reprinted with permission from Macmillan Publishers Ltd: M S Westerterp-Plantenga et al., “High protein
sustains weight maintenance after body weight loss in humans”, International Journal of Obesity (Jan 2004), vol. 28,
issue 1, pp. 57–64, © 2004]
(a) Identify two nutrients that are sources of dietary energy apart from protein.
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(1)
(b)
Compare the changes in body mass for both groups when normal diet is resumed.
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(2)
(c)
Calculate the percentage difference in body mass at the end of the four months between
the group with additional protein compared with the group without additional protein
(show your calculations).
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(2)
(d)
Evaluate the hypothesis that consuming energy in the form of protein limits the gain in
body mass.
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(3)
7.
Sports science and technology help provide elite competitors with the slight advantage needed
to win in world-class competition. Understanding how training builds strength and stamina
requires knowledge of how the body produces energy.
The graph below shows the physiological demands during the men’s 228 km cycling road race,
which lasted about five hours, in the Atlanta Olympic Games. The results are shown as a
percentage of the energy system used, considering 100% as the maximum capacity of that
energy system. (12 mins)
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[Source: J Kearney, Scientific American, June 1996, page 44]
(a)
(i)
State the main source of energy used when cyclists sprinted at the end
of the race.
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(ii)
(1)
Explain how this source of energy suits this particular type of exercise.
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(b)
(2)
(i)
Calculate the difference in percentage of system capacity used in
phosphocreatine between riding in a group and hill climbing. Show your workings.
.................................................. 
(1)
(ii)
Compare the ways of obtaining energy while riding in a group and hill climbing.
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(c)
(2)
Discuss one training method based on the data which could be adopted by athletes
participating in this cycling race.
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(2)
8.
Analyses of the human body show that its composition varies at different stages of life, so
nutrient requirements may change according to age. The pie charts show the percentage of
water, protein, fat and minerals that make up the body in the human fetus, a baby and in an
adult. (11 mins)
[Source: Adapted from A Walker, (1999), Human Nutrition, Cambridge University Press, page 5]
(a)
Estimate the percentage of the total mass of the fetus that is water.
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(1)
(b)
The chart shows that 15% of the mass of the baby is fat. Calculate the mass of fat found
in the baby.
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(1)
(c)
State in which stage of life the greatest total mass of water is found.
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(1)
(d)
Compare the percentage body composition of babies with adults.
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(2)
(e)
Suggest two reasons for the change in fat composition shown in the pie chart from fetus
to baby.
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(2)
9.
Cancer of the colon is the fourth most common cancer throughout the world. A number of
epidemiological studies have shown that dietary starch and fibre can influence the incidence of colon
cancer. The results of two of these studies are shown below. Each point on the graphs represents the
human population of one region. (11 mins)
4
0
0
3
0
0
S
ta
rc
hin
ta
k
e
–
1
/gd
a
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2
0
0
1
3
.5
3
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fib
rein
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–
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1
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7 1
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9 2
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[Source: adapted from Food, Nutrition and the Prevention of Cancer: a Global Perspective, World Cancer Research Fund,
American Institute for Cancer Research, (1997), page 380]
(a)
Outline the relationship between fibre intake and colon cancer mortality.
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(1)
(b)
(i)
Determine the predicted mortality due to colon cancer at a daily fibre
–1
intake of 12.5 g day
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(ii)
(1)
Calculate how much more starch a person would have to consume per day to
reduce the cancer risk by 10%.
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(c)
Compare the effect of fibre and starch on cancer of the colon.
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(2)
(d)
Discuss the effect of daily fibre intake on lowering the mortality rates of cancer of the
colon.
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(2)
(1)