← Nutrition & Food Science syllabus

SingaporeNutrition & Food Science

Diet, Health and Special Needs

6 dot points across 6 inquiry questions. Click any dot point for a focused answer with worked past exam questions where available.

What makes a diet balanced, and how do food guides such as the food pyramid and My Healthy Plate help people choose well?

Define a balanced diet, explain the food groups, and use the food pyramid or My Healthy Plate to plan healthy meals
A focused answer on what a balanced diet is, the food groups, and how guides such as the Singapore food pyramid and My Healthy Plate translate nutrition science into practical meal planning.
8 min answer →

How can a poor diet over time lead to diseases such as obesity, heart disease, type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure?

Explain the causes and dietary links of obesity, coronary heart disease, type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure, and suggest dietary prevention
A focused answer on diet-related diseases - obesity, coronary heart disease, type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure - their dietary causes, how they develop, and how diet can prevent them.
9 min answer →

How do a person's nutritional needs change from childhood through the teenage years, pregnancy and into old age?

Explain how nutritional needs change across the life cycle and justify the key nutrients for each life stage
A focused answer on how nutritional needs change across the life cycle - children, teenagers, pregnant women, adults and older adults - and the key nutrients each group needs and why.
9 min answer →

What is energy balance, what is basal metabolic rate, and what happens when energy intake does not match energy output?

Explain energy balance and basal metabolic rate, list the factors affecting energy needs, and predict the effect of an energy surplus or deficit
A focused answer on energy balance and basal metabolic rate (BMR), the factors that change energy needs, and what an energy surplus or deficit does to body weight, with a worked balance calculation.
8 min answer →

How should meals be adapted for people with special dietary needs such as vegetarians, diabetics, food allergies and cultural or religious requirements?

Explain the dietary needs of special groups and adapt meals for vegetarians, diabetics, allergy sufferers and cultural or religious diets
A focused answer on special dietary needs - vegetarian and vegan diets, diabetes, food allergies and intolerances, and cultural or religious requirements - and how to adapt meals safely and adequately.
9 min answer →

How can a person manage their body weight safely through diet and lifestyle, and why do crash diets fail?

Explain how body weight is managed through energy balance, evaluate healthy versus unhealthy approaches, and interpret BMI
A focused answer on managing body weight - energy balance for loss, gain or maintenance, why crash diets fail, healthy strategies, and how body mass index (BMI) is calculated and interpreted.
8 min answer →