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      Lesson details

      Learning outcome

      I can describe how diets can be changed for health.

      Key learning points

      1. Health implications are caused by poor diet (dietary excess or deficiency), e.g. obesity, bone health, heart disease.
      2. Nutrition, ingredient and allergy information on food labels help us to make informed food and drink choices. 
      3. Meals and diets can be planned and evaluated for the needs of different groups of people.

      Keywords

      • Malnutrition - intakes of energy and/or nutrients below or in excess of needs for long periods of time

      • Undernutrition - having an intake of energy and/or nutrients below what is needed

      • Overnutrition - having an intake of energy above what is needed

      • Coronary heart disease - a health condition caused by the narrowing of the blood vessels to the heart

      • Obesity - a health condition caused by too much energy (calories) being consumed, or high levels of inactivity

      Common misconception

      There is one form of malnutrition, intakes of energy and/or nutrients being below what is required.

      There are two forms of malnutrition: undernutrition (intakes below what is required) and overnutrition (intakes above what is required).

      Teacher tip

      Encourage pupils to use their previous relevant knowledge to suggest how meals and diets can be modified, considering their practical food skills, as well as learning around the Eatwell Guide.

      Licence

      This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2026), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0
      except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions
      (Collection 2).

      Lesson video

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      Prior knowledge starter quiz

      6 Questions

      Q1.
      How many portions of fish is recommended per week?

      one portion, which is oily
      two portions, which are not oily
      Correct answer: two portions, one of which is oily
      two portions, both of which are oily

      Q2.
      Which food group is a good source of calcium?

      An image in a quiz
      fruit and vegetables
      potatoes, bread, rice and pasta
      beans, pulses, fish, eggs and meat
      Correct answer: dairy and alternatives
      oil and spreads

      Q3.
      What are Dietary Reference Values (DRVs)?

      Correct answer: energy and nutritional requirements
      the average requirement of energy or a nutrient
      the amount of a nutrient needed by nearly all people (97.5%)

      Q4.
      Match the ingredients to the recipe modification reason.

      Correct Answer:using herbs and spices,to decrease salt

      to decrease salt

      Correct Answer:using a non-gluten flour,to avoid an allergic reaction

      to avoid an allergic reaction

      Correct Answer:using wholewheat pasta,to increase fibre

      to increase fibre

      Correct Answer:using lots of fruit and veg,to achieve 5 A DAY

      to achieve 5 A DAY

      Correct Answer:using low-fat options,to reduce fat

      to reduce fat

      Q5.
      True or false? Scientific studies show that when children and adults are presented with bigger portions of food, they tend to eat less.

      True
      Correct answer: False

      Q6.
      In adulthood, a poor diet can lead to diseases such as __________, cardiovascular diseases, cancer and __________.

      Correct answer: obesity
      measles
      Correct answer: diabetes
      hydration
      Q2 © Crown copyright, OHID in association with the Welsh government, Food Standards Scotland and the Food Standards Agency in Northern Ireland.

      6 Questions

      Q1.
      True or false? There is one form of malnutrition, intakes of energy and/or nutrients being below what is required.

      True
      Correct answer: False

      Q2.
      __________ is caused by a narrowing of the blood vessels to the heart. This reduces the flow of blood to the heart.

      obesity
      anaemia
      Correct answer: coronary heart disease
      osteoporosis
      arthritis

      Q3.
      Which burrito front-of-pack label has the lowest saturated fat content per serving?

      Correct Answer: An image in a quiz
      An image in a quiz
      An image in a quiz
      An image in a quiz

      Q4.
      Match the health condition with the health issue.

      Correct Answer:osteoporosis,bones weak and break easily (severe loss of calcium)

      bones weak and break easily (severe loss of calcium)

      Correct Answer:anaemia,low store of iron and too little iron in the diet

      low store of iron and too little iron in the diet

      Correct Answer:diabetes,body cannot control blood sugar properly

      body cannot control blood sugar properly

      Correct Answer:obesity,too much energy or high levels of inactivity

      too much energy or high levels of inactivity

      Q5.
      What could be done to lower the fat, salt and sugar in meals and the diet?

      Correct answer: include plenty of fruit and vegetables
      Correct answer: use herbs and spices
      change cooking method, e.g. frying, not grilling
      Correct answer: have in small amounts and infrequently
      have larger portion sizes

      Q6.
      By law, food, drink and ingredients that are known to contain are required to be highlighted on the ingredients list.

      Correct Answer: allergens, allergy, allergies

      To help you plan your 9 cooking and nutrition lesson on: Health conditions, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...