OCR GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition (J309): Nutrition (Section A) overview
An overview of the nutrition content (Section A) in OCR GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition (J309), mapping the macronutrients, micronutrients, water and fibre, energy needs and BMR, the nutritional needs of different groups, and diet-related health problems, and how they are examined.
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Section A of OCR GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition (specification J309) is the science of what the body needs to stay healthy. Nutrition underpins everything else in the course, from planning dishes to justifying choices in the NEA. This page maps the topic and links to a focused answer page for each part.
The nutrition content
- Macronutrients
- Protein, fats and oils, and carbohydrates: their composition, functions, sources, biological value and complementation, and the effects of excess or deficiency. See Macronutrients.
- Micronutrients
- The fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K) and water-soluble vitamins (B group and C), and the key minerals (calcium, iron, sodium, fluoride, phosphorus, iodine): functions, sources and deficiencies. See Micronutrients.
- Water and fibre
- The functions of water and the signs of dehydration, and the role of dietary fibre (NSP) in healthy digestion. See Water and fibre.
- Energy needs
- Energy from macronutrients, basal metabolic rate (BMR), physical activity level (PAL), how needs vary, and energy balance. See Energy needs.
- Nutritional needs of different groups
- How needs change for babies, children, teenagers, adults, the elderly and pregnant women, and planning meals with the Eatwell Guide. See Nutritional needs for different groups.
- Diet-related health problems
- Obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, tooth decay, bone health and anaemia, and the changes that reduce the risk. See Diet-related health problems.
How this topic is examined
Nutrition is assessed on the written paper J309/01, which is 1 hour 30 minutes, worth 100 marks and 50% of the GCSE. Questions include short structured answers, calculations (energy from macronutrients, BMR times PAL, percentages) and six-mark extended responses. The content also underpins the NEA, where you justify dish choices on nutritional grounds.
How to study the nutrition topic
- Work from the specification statements. Each point is a checklist; questions are written from them.
- Learn the nutrient table cold. Function, sources and deficiency for every nutrient.
- Drill the maths. Energy from macronutrients, BMR times PAL and percentages appear repeatedly.
- Learn the models. Know the Eatwell Guide proportions and the 8 tips for healthy eating.
- Apply, do not list. Link nutrition to a named group (teenager, elderly person, pregnant woman) for the higher marks.
For the official specification
OCR publishes the full specification, past papers and mark schemes at ocr.org.uk. Always revise from the current specification and OCR's own past papers, because question style is board-specific.