The effect of lifestyle on some non-communicable diseases
Practise 36 exam-style questions on The effect of lifestyle on some non-communicable diseases for AQA GCSE Biology. Write your answer as you would in the exam and get it marked in seconds against the mark scheme, point by point, with an AI tutor on hand if you get stuck.
36 questions
2–4 marks each
Instant marking
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20 questions, marked as you go
Sample questions with model answers
Here are 4 of the questions in this topic, each with a model answer, an explanation of why it earns the marks and the mark scheme an examiner would use.
Question 1
2 marks
Give one way in which research into lifestyle risk factors might be biased and one way to reduce that bias.
Model answer
Recall bias (participants misreport past behaviours) or selection bias; reduce by prospective data collection, objective measures (biomarkers), random sampling and blinding where possible.
Explanation
Self-reporting can misclassify exposures (recall bias); using prospective cohorts, biomarkers and representative sampling can reduce bias.
Mark scheme
1 mark
Bias: recall bias or selection bias or confounding
1 mark
Reduce: use prospective design/objective measures/random sampling/control confounders
Question 2
3 marks
Carcinogens increase cancer risk. Give one example of an occupational carcinogen and briefly explain how a carcinogen can cause a cancer.
Model answer
Example: asbestos (mining/building) or benzene (chemical industry) or ionising radiation; carcinogens can cause DNA mutations in key genes (tumour suppressors / oncogenes) leading to uncontrolled cell division.
Explanation
Workplace exposures such as asbestos fibres or benzene can damage DNA in cells; mutation of genes that regulate growth allows cells to proliferate into tumours.
Mark scheme
1 mark
Occupational example: asbestos / benzene / silica / radon etc.
2 marks
Mechanism: carcinogen causes DNA damage / mutations in genes that control cell growth so cells divide uncontrollably
Mention of DNA mutation and uncontrolled division required.
Question 3
3 marks
Explain why lowering population average blood pressure has a larger public-health impact than focusing only on those with very high blood pressure.
Model answer
Small reductions in blood pressure across the whole population shift the entire risk distribution and prevent many more events (high absolute number of cases occur in moderately elevated BP); population strategy reduces incidence widely whereas targeting only high-risk individuals misses many events.
Explanation
A population-wide BP reduction prevents disease in many more people by lowering baseline risk for the majority; focusing only on high-risk individuals misses a large number of cases occurring in the population at moderate risk.
Mark scheme
2 marks
Population shift reduces risk across many people; small average decrease prevents more events because most disease occurs in the large group with moderate risk
Explain concept of shifting the distribution for 2 marks.
1 mark
Targeting just high BP helps fewer people (high-risk small group)
Question 4
4 marks
Design a brief epidemiological study to investigate whether vaping (e-cigarette use) increases risk of cardiovascular disease. Include study type, key variables and one measure to reduce bias.
Model answer
Prospective cohort study: recruit e-cigarette users and non-users, measure baseline cardiovascular risk factors and follow for incidence of cardiovascular events; key variables: exposure (vaping frequency), outcome (heart attack/stroke), confounders (age, smoking, diet, exercise); reduce bias by adjusting for confounders and using objective outcome records (hospital data).
Explanation
A cohort design allows assessment of exposure before disease; controlling for confounders and using objective outcome data reduces bias and improves causal inference.
Mark scheme
1 mark
Study type: prospective cohort (or longitudinal) study
