A recent study of evolutionary aspects of the human diet considered the intake of ascorbic acid

and fat. Fat can be classified as saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. The graph
below is based on data from three periods of time: hunter-gatherer, agricultural and
industrialized.
H u n te r-g a th e re r
P e rio d
40

A g ric u ltu ra l
P e rio d

In d u s tria l
P e rio d

A s c o rb ic a c id

100

T o ta l fa t

30

20
10

S a tu ra te d fa t
10
P o ly u n s a tu ra te d fa t

0
4 000 000

10 000
200
Y e a rs b e fo re p re se n t

100

A s c o rb ic a c id in a k e / m g d a y

600

30

E n e rg y fro m fa t / %

1.

0
p re se n t

[Source: Simopoulos, The Journal of Nutrition, (2001), 131 (115), page 3066S]

(a)

Compare the changes in the intake of saturated fat with polyunsaturated fat among
hunter-gatherer, agricultural and industrial populations over the whole time span.
.....................................................................................................................................
.....................................................................................................................................
.....................................................................................................................................
.....................................................................................................................................
(2)

(b)

The graph above does not include the third source of fat, monounsaturated fat. Using the
given data, estimate the percentage of energy from monounsaturated fat in the diet of the
earliest hunter-gatherers.
.....................................................................................................................................
(1)

(c)

Besides fat, state one other group of compounds which supplies energy in the diet.
.....................................................................................................................................
(1)
1

(d)

Suggest a reason for the change in the intake of

(i)

ascorbic acid in industrialized populations.

...........................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................
(1)

(ii)

saturated fats in industrialized populations.

...........................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................
(1)
(Total 6 marks)

2.

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.

[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.
....................................................................................................................................
(1)

(b)

The chart shows that 15% of the mass of the baby is fat. Calculate the mass of fat found
in the baby.
....................................................................................................................................
(1)

(c)

State in which stage of life the greatest total mass of water is found.
....................................................................................................................................
(1)

(d)

Compare the percentage body composition of babies with adults.

....................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................
(2)

(e)

Suggest two reasons for the change in fat composition shown in the pie chart from fetus
to baby.
3

....................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................
(2)
(Total 7 marks)

3.
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.
86
K ey:

B o d y m ass / kg

84

N o rm a l d ie t w ith
a d d itio n a l p ro te in

82

N o rm a l d ie t w ith o u t
a d d itio n a l p ro te in

80
78
76
74
0

T im e / m o n th s
[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. 5764, 2004]

(a)

Identify two nutrients that are sources of dietary energy apart from protein.
...................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................
(1)

(b)

Compare the changes in body mass for both groups when normal diet is resumed.
...................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................
5

...................................................................................................................................
(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).
...................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................
(2)

(d)

Evaluate the hypothesis that consuming energy in the form of protein limits the gain in
body mass.
...................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................
(3)
(Total 8 marks)

4.

Atherosclerosis is a chronic disease caused by elevated serum cholesterol levels resulting in

deposition of lipids in arteries. Diet modification, weight reduction and exercise are initially
prescribed to alleviate high cholesterol levels. Due to health and possibly genetic reasons, these
attempts may be unsuccessful. Drugs may then be prescribed to lower cholesterol production.
One of the enzymes that can be competitively inhibited by these drugs is involved in the
pathway for the synthesis of bile and steroid hormones.
The safety and effectiveness of a new member of a family of drugs called statins was
investigated. The effect of the drug on the blood serum levels of cholesterol, low density
lipoproteins (high levels are unhealthy), high density lipoproteins (high levels are healthy) and
triglycerides (high levels are unhealthy) are shown below.
Serum blood level / % change from baseline

Dose of drug / mg

Cholesterol

Low density
lipoproteins

High density
lipoproteins

Triglycerides

0 (placebo)

10
6

10

29

39

19

20

33

43

26

40

37

50

29

[Source: adapted from Parke-Davis, (2000), Lipitor (Atorvastatin Calcium) tablets, Spec #0155G247,
page 4, Parke-Davis, New York, www.216.86.213.73/2pdfs/0494lipitor.pdf]

(a)

State the dose that was most effective in raising the level of high density lipoproteins in
the treated groups.
....................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................
(1)

(b)

State the relationship between dose and cholesterol levels.

....................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................
(2)

(c)

Distinguish the effect of dose size on low density lipoproteins and high density
lipoproteins.
....................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................
(1)

(d)

Explain the use of a placebo in these investigations.

....................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................
(1)

(e)

Suggest one possible physiological side effect when taking statins for atherosclerosis.
....................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................
(1)
(Total 6 marks)
7