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Date May 2018 Marks available 2 Reference code 18M.3.HL.TZ2.19
Level Higher level Paper Paper 3 Time zone Time zone 2
Command term Discuss Question number 19 Adapted from N/A

Question

A long term study followed nearly 40 000 apparently healthy young men for coronary heart disease (CHD) from adolescence through adulthood. The results show how the body mass index (BMI) at adolescence and adulthood affect the risk of CHD. The BMIs are divided into five groups (quintiles), Q1 being the lowest BMI and Q5 the highest. A risk factor of 2 or less is desirable.

Using the graph, discuss the hypothesis that a high BMI in adolescence is more dangerous than a high BMI in adulthood.

[2]
a.

State one factor, other than BMI, that increases the risk of CHD.

[1]
b.

Markscheme

Hypothesis supported as:

a. all subjects with a high BMI «in Q5» in adolescence had a high risk of CHD «>6», even when BMI in adulthood was low «in Q2» 
OWTTE.

b. subjects with a high BMI in adulthood «Q4 and Q5» had a much higher risk of CHD if they also had a high BMI in adolescence 
OWTTE.

c. high BMI in both adolescence and adulthood increases risk

Accept any other valid answer based on the graph.

[Source: From The New England Journal of Medicine, A Tirosh et al, Adolescent BMI Trajectory and Risk of
Diabetes versus Coronary Disease, 364, 1315. Copyright © (2011) Massachusetts Medical Society.
Reprinted with permission from Massachusetts Medical Society]

a.

increased triglycerides/cholesterol in the blood
OR
presence of plaque/atherosclerosis «in arteries»
OR
high blood pressure/hypertension
OR
sedentary lifestyle/lack of exercise
OR
genetic/hereditary factor
OR
smoking
OR
age
OR
diet

b.

Examiners report

[N/A]
a.
[N/A]
b.

Syllabus sections

Option D: Human physiology » Option D: Human physiology (Core topics) » D.1 Human nutrition
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Option D: Human physiology » Option D: Human physiology (Core topics)
Option D: Human physiology

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