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Date May 2019 Marks available 1 Reference code 19M.3.SL.TZ2.16
Level Standard level Paper Paper 3 Time zone Time zone 2
Command term State Question number 16 Adapted from N/A

Question

Body mass index (BMI) was calculated for 37 674 men over 20 years of their life, between the ages of 25 and 45. Percentile BMI values were then determined for each age and plotted on the graph. For example, along the 75th percentile, 75 % of the population at a given age will have a BMI lower than the BMI indicated by the graph and 25 % of the population will have a higher BMI. The graph also shows the 50th percentile BMI curves for the men in this study who developed diabetes.

[Source: The New England Journal of Medicine, A Tirosh, et al., Adolescent BMI Trajectory and Risk of Diabetes
versus Coronary Disease, 364 pages 1315–1325 © 2011 Massachusetts Medical Society.
Reprinted with permission from Massachusetts Medical Society. ]

State the relationship between BMI and age in men.

[1]
a.

Evaluate the data to assess whether a high BMI is a risk factor for the development of diabetes.

[2]
b.

Markscheme

positive relationship
OR
increases with age ✔

a.

a. higher BMI is associated with diabetes

b. 50th percentile for diabetes are overweight «at all ages»
OR
50th percentile is a higher BMI for diabetics «at all ages»
OR
50th percentile for diabetes is close to the 75th percentile BMI of the entire population
OR
50th percentile for diabetes is higher than 50% percentile for non-diabetic men ✔

c. chances of diabetes increase with age ✔

d. the graph does not show the information for each individual «just the percentiles» ✔

b.

Examiners report

This question relating BMI to age was relatively straightforward for most candidates.

a.

A few candidates found it hard to use the 50th percentile curve in their answers.

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)
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