7. Human nutrition
- Syllabus
- 0610–2026–2027
- Section
- 7
- Level
- —
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In this section
Topic 7.1
7.1 Diet
Objectives in this topic
7.1.1—What is meant by a balanced diet
- Describe what is meant by a balanced diet
7.1.2—Principal dietary sources and describe
- State the principal dietary sources and describe the importance of: (a) carbohydrates (b) fats and oils (c) proteins (d) vitamins, limited to C and D (e) mineral ions, limited to calcium and iron (f) fibre (roughage) (g) water
7.1.3—Causes of scurvy and rickets
- State the causes of scurvy and rickets
Topic 7.2
7.2 Digestive system
Objectives in this topic
7.2.1—Main organs of the digestive system
- Identify in diagrams and images the main organs of the digestive system, limited to: (a) alimentary canal: mouth, oesophagus, stomach, small intestine (duodenum and ileum) and large intestine (colon, rectum, anus) (b) associated organs: salivary glands, pancreas, liver and gall bladder
7.2.2—Functions of the organs
- Describe the functions of the organs of the digestive system listed in 7.2.1, in relation to: (a) ingestion – the taking of substances, e.g. food and drink, into the body (b) digestion – the breakdown of food (c) absorption – the movement of nutrients from the intestines into the blood (d) assimilation – uptake and use of nutrients by cells (e) egestion – the removal of undigested food from the body as faeces
Topic 7.3
7.3 Physical digestion
Objectives in this topic
7.3.1—Physical digestion as the breakdown
- Describe physical digestion as the breakdown of food into smaller pieces without chemical change to the food molecules
7.3.2—Physical digestion increases
- State that physical digestion increases the surface area of food for the action of enzymes in chemical digestion
7.3.3—Types of human teeth
- Identify in diagrams and images the types of human teeth: incisors, canines, premolars and molars
7.3.4—Structure of human teeth
- Describe the structure of human teeth, limited to: enamel, dentine, pulp, nerves, blood vessels and cement, and understand that teeth are embedded in bone and the gums
7.3.5—Functions of the types of human teeth
- Describe the functions of the types of human teeth in physical digestion of food
7.3.6—Function of the stomach in physical
- Describe the function of the stomach in physical digestion
7.3.7—Bile and fat emulsification
- Outline the role of bile in emulsifying fats and oils to increase the surface area for chemical digestion
Topic 7.4
7.4 Chemical digestion
Objectives in this topic
7.4.1—Chemical digestion as the breakdown
- Describe chemical digestion as the breakdown of large insoluble molecules into small soluble molecules
7.4.2—Role of chemical digestion
- State the role of chemical digestion in producing small soluble molecules that can be absorbed
7.4.3—Functions of enzymes as follows: (a)
- Describe the functions of enzymes as follows: (a) amylase breaks down starch to simple reducing sugars (b) proteases break down protein to amino acids (c) lipase breaks down fats and oils to fatty acids and glycerol
7.4.4—Where, in the digestive system
- State where, in the digestive system, amylase, protease and lipase are secreted and where they act
7.4.5—Functions of hydrochloric acid
- Describe the functions of hydrochloric acid in gastric juice, limited to killing harmful microorganisms in food and providing an acidic pH for optimum enzyme activity
7.4.6—Digestion of starch in the digestive
- Describe the digestion of starch in the digestive system: (a) amylase breaks down starch to maltose (b) maltase breaks down maltose to glucose on the membranes of the epithelium lining the small intestine
7.4.7—Digestion of protein by proteases
- Describe the digestion of protein by proteases in the digestive system: (a) pepsin breaks down protein in the acidic conditions of the stomach (b) trypsin breaks down protein in the alkaline conditions of the small intestine
7.4.8—Bile is an alkaline mixture that
- Explain that bile is an alkaline mixture that neutralises the acidic mixture of food and gastric juices entering the duodenum from the stomach, to provide a suitable pH for enzyme action
Topic 7.5
7.5 Absorption
Objectives in this topic
7.5.1—Small intestine is the region where
- State that the small intestine is the region where nutrients are absorbed
7.5.2—Most water is absorbed from the small
- State that most water is absorbed from the small intestine but that some is also absorbed from the colon
7.5.3—Significance of villi and microvilli
- Explain the significance of villi and microvilli in increasing the internal surface area of the small intestine
7.5.4—Structure of a villus
- Describe the structure of a villus
7.5.5—Roles of capillaries and lacteals
- Describe the roles of capillaries and lacteals in villi