← Food Preparation & Nutrition syllabus

EnglandFood Preparation & Nutrition

Section A: Nutrition

6 dot points across 6 inquiry questions. Click any dot point for a focused answer with worked past exam questions where available.

Which health problems are linked to diet, and how can the diet be changed to prevent them?

Diet-related health problems: obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, tooth decay, bone health (rickets and osteoporosis), anaemia and the effects of too much salt, sugar and saturated fat, and dietary changes to reduce the risk.
A focused answer on diet-related health problems for OCR GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition (J309), covering obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, tooth decay, bone health, anaemia, and the dietary changes that reduce the risk of each.
10 min answer →

How much energy does the body need, and how do we calculate it from BMR and activity?

Energy needs: the sources of energy from food, basal metabolic rate (BMR) and physical activity level (PAL), how energy requirements vary with age, sex and activity, energy balance, and the proportion of energy that should come from each macronutrient.
A focused answer on energy needs for OCR GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition (J309), covering energy from macronutrients, basal metabolic rate (BMR), physical activity level (PAL), how needs vary with age, sex and activity, energy balance, and calculating total energy requirements.
10 min answer →

What are the macronutrients, what do they do in the body and where do we get them?

Protein, fats and oils and carbohydrates: their composition, functions, sources, biological and complementary value, saturated and unsaturated fats, simple and complex carbohydrates, and the effects of excess or deficiency.
A focused answer on the three macronutrients for OCR GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition (J309), covering the composition, functions, sources and deficiency or excess of protein, fats and oils and carbohydrates, plus biological value, complementation and the energy each provides.
10 min answer →

What are the vitamins and minerals the body needs, and what happens without them?

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 and iodine): their functions, sources and the effects of deficiency.
A focused answer on micronutrients for OCR GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition (J309), covering the fat-soluble and water-soluble vitamins and the main minerals, their functions, sources and deficiency diseases, plus how cooking affects vitamin retention.
10 min answer →

How do nutritional needs change across life and for different groups of people?

How nutritional needs change for specific groups: babies and young children, teenagers, adults, the elderly, pregnant women and people with specific dietary needs, and how to plan balanced meals using the Eatwell Guide and the 8 tips for healthy eating.
A focused answer on the nutritional needs of different groups for OCR GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition (J309), covering babies, children, teenagers, adults, the elderly and pregnant women, the Eatwell Guide and the 8 tips for healthy eating, and how to plan balanced meals.
10 min answer →

Why does the body need water and dietary fibre, and what happens without them?

Water and dietary fibre (NSP): their functions in the body, sources, recommended intakes and the effects of having too little, including dehydration and the role of fibre in digestive health.
A focused answer on water and dietary fibre for OCR GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition (J309), covering the functions of water, the signs of dehydration, the role of NSP fibre in digestion, good sources and recommended intakes.
8 min answer →