Non-Communicable Diseases Practice Questions

Question 1

3 marks

A health charity produces a leaflet about non-communicable diseases.

(a)

Which of these is a non-communicable disease?

Put a cross ( ☒ ) in the box next to your answer.

☐ A tuberculosis
☐ B malaria
☐ C coronary heart disease
☐ D cholera

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(b)

The leaflet states that non-communicable diseases are caused by the interaction of a number of factors.

Explain what is meant by this statement.

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Question 2

3 marks

A nurse measures a patient at a health clinic.

The patient has a mass of $82.0$ kg and a height of $1.74$ m.

The nurse uses the equation:

$\text{BMI} = \frac{\text{mass (kg)}}{(\text{height (m)})^2}$

Table 1 shows how BMI values are classified.

BMI	Classification
below $18.5$	underweight
$18.5$ – $24.9$	normal
$25.0$ – $29.9$	overweight
$30.0$ and above	obese

(a)

Calculate the BMI of this patient.

Give your answer to three significant figures.

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(b)

Use Table 1 to give the classification of this patient.

/ 1

Question 0

5 marks

As well as BMI, doctors can use a person's waist : hip ratio to estimate health risk.

Table 2 shows how waist : hip ratios are used to classify risk.

Sex	Waist : hip ratio	Health risk
male	below $0.90$	low
male	$0.90$ – $0.99$	moderate
male	$1.00$ and above	high
female	below $0.80$	low
female	$0.80$ – $0.84$	moderate
female	$0.85$ and above	high

Gavin is male. His waist measurement is $102$ cm and his hip measurement is $108$ cm.

(a)

Calculate Gavin's waist : hip ratio.

Give your answer to two decimal places.

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(b)

Use Table 2 to give Gavin's health risk classification.

/ 1

(c)

Gavin's BMI is $24.6$ , which is in the normal range.

Explain what Gavin's BMI and his waist : hip ratio together suggest about his risk of cardiovascular disease.

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Question 0

6 marks

Table 3 shows the mean alcohol consumption of adults in four countries and the number of deaths from liver disease in each country.

Country	Mean alcohol consumption (units per week)	Deaths from liver disease per $100\,000$ people per year
W	$8$	$6$
X	$14$	$11$
Y	$21$	$17$
Z	$30$	$26$

(a)

Describe the relationship shown by the data in Table 3.

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(b)

A newspaper reports that these data prove that drinking alcohol causes liver disease.

Explain why this conclusion cannot be made from the data in Table 3.

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(c)

Explain how drinking a large amount of alcohol over many years can lead to liver disease.

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Question 0

4 marks

Smoking is a lifestyle factor that increases a person's risk of cardiovascular disease.

(a)

Which substance in cigarette smoke reduces the amount of oxygen that the blood can carry?

Put a cross ( ☒ ) in the box next to your answer.

☐ A tar
☐ B nicotine
☐ C carbon monoxide
☐ D carbon dioxide

/ 1

(b)

Explain how smoking increases a person's risk of having a heart attack.

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Question 0

8 marks

Obesity is increasing in many countries. A person becomes obese when the energy taken in from their diet is regularly greater than the energy used by their body.

(a)

Explain why a person gains body mass when the energy taken in from their diet is greater than the energy used by their body.

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(b)

A doctor advises an obese patient to take regular exercise and to eat less saturated fat.

Explain how these two changes reduce the patient's risk of cardiovascular disease.

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(c)

Describe two ways that rising levels of obesity affect a country at a national level.

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Question 0

6 marks

Rajesh is 58 years old. A scan shows that one of his coronary arteries is narrowed by fatty deposits.

Rajesh has a BMI of $31$ , smokes 15 cigarettes a day and takes very little exercise.

His doctor discusses three possible treatments:

taking a statin tablet every day for the rest of his life
having a stent fitted to widen the narrowed coronary artery
making changes to his lifestyle.

Evaluate these three treatments for Rajesh's cardiovascular disease.

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Question 0

8 marks

Statins are a life-long medication used to treat cardiovascular disease.

Scientists followed $12\,000$ adults with a high blood cholesterol concentration for 10 years. Half of the people were given a statin and half were given a placebo.

Table 4 shows the results.

Group	Number of people	Mean LDL cholesterol at start	Mean LDL cholesterol after 10 years	Number of people who had a heart attack in 10 years
statin	$6000$	$4.2$	$2.6$	$294$
placebo	$6000$	$4.2$	$4.1$	$480$

(a)

Calculate the percentage decrease in the mean LDL cholesterol concentration of the statin group over the 10 years.

Give your answer to three significant figures.

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(b)

Use the data in Table 4 to explain whether statins are an effective treatment for people with a high blood cholesterol concentration.

/ 3

(c)

Doctors who prescribe statins also advise patients to change their lifestyle.

Explain why lifestyle changes are recommended as well as life-long medication.

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Key Concepts in Biology

Cells & Control

Genetics

Natural Selection & Genetic Modification

Health, Disease & the Development of Medicines

Plant Structures & their Functions

Animal Coordination, Control & Homeostasis

Exchange & Transport in Animals

Ecosystems & Material Cycles

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