Data on Effect of Diet (Edexcel International AS Biology): Revision Note

Measurements to Reduce CVD Risk

Diet

• Some scientific studies have linked a diet high in saturated fats to an increased risk of CVD

  • It is worth noting that there are other studies that are inconclusive on the link between dietary saturated fat and CVD risk

• Studies that investigate the connection between diet and CVD can be used to educate members of the public on their consumption of certain foods

  • Food labels now exist on most food packaging making consumers aware of what they are eating

  • Traffic light warning labels (Red = high, Orange = medium, Green = low) also exist on many food labels to warn consumers of high levels of sugar, saturated fat, and salt

  • People are able to make informed choices about their diets

• Obesity has been linked to an increase in CVD events

• Healthcare professionals can use a number of measures to identify obesity in patients

  • Waste-to-hip ratio is the circumference of the waist in cm divided by the circumference of the hips in cm

    • For women the ratio should be less than 0.86

    • For men the ratio should be less than 0.9

  • BMI is a value derived from dividing an individual's mass in kg by the square of their height (m²)

    • A BMI of less than 18.5 indicates that the person is underweight

    • 18.5 - 24.9 is considered normal

    • 25 - 29.9 is considered overweight

    • A person with a BMI of 30 or higher is considered obese

• Obese individuals can make lifestyle choices to reduce their weight to a healthy range

Smoking

• Smoking has been linked to CVD by many research studies

• The research has led to changes in the way cigarettes are advertised

  • Health warnings now exist on all packets

  • TV and media portray smoking as an unhealthy lifestyle choice

• Free materials, including prescriptions, are available to support individuals to stop smoking

Exercise

• Inactivity has been linked to increased risk of CVD

• There are many campaigns and initiatives to encourage all people to partake in more exercise

  • Increased hours of physical education in schools

  • Targeted encouragement at different groups of people, such as teenagers