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WBCHSE HS Health and Physical Education study materials
WBCHSE HS Health and Physical Education study resources

WBCHSE HS Health and Physical Education practice questions

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Question 1Foundations and Meaning of Health and Physical Education

The World Health Organization's 1948 definition describes health as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being. Which statement best captures the main criticism of this definition in later health literature?

  1. It sets an ideal of complete well-being that few people can ever attain, making health seem static and absolute. Correct answer.
  2. It places too much emphasis on economic development as a measure of health.
  3. It ignores the role of medical treatment in curing disease.
  4. It excludes mental and social dimensions from the concept of well-being.

Explanation

The WHO definition is praised for moving beyond mere absence of disease, but critics argue that demanding 'complete' well-being makes health an unattainable ideal rather than a dynamic, everyday capacity. Later models therefore treat health as a continuum and a resource for living. The definition does not exclude mental or social aspects; it explicitly includes them.

Question 2Foundations and Meaning of Health and Physical Education

In the disease-versus-illness distinction used in health education, which example best illustrates illness without a diagnosable disease?

  1. A child with a raised blood sugar reading confirmed on two occasions.
  2. A student with laboratory-confirmed typhoid fever who is hospitalised.
  3. A worker who feels persistent fatigue and worry after a family bereavement but has normal medical test results. Correct answer.
  4. A person with a fractured wrist confirmed by X-ray.

Explanation

Illness refers to the personal, subjective experience of feeling unwell, whereas disease is the objectively identified pathological condition. A person with normal test results but genuine distress shows illness without a detectable disease. The other options all involve confirmed pathological findings, which belong to the disease category.

Question 3Foundations and Meaning of Health and Physical Education

Which pair correctly matches the dimension of health with an indicator that belongs to it?

  1. Social dimension - ability to maintain satisfying interpersonal relationships. Correct answer.
  2. Physical dimension - capacity to manage exam-related anxiety.
  3. Spiritual dimension - body mass index within the normal range.
  4. Mental dimension - frequency of aerobic exercise per week.

Explanation

The social dimension of health concerns how a person relates to others, so maintaining satisfying relationships is a fitting indicator. Mental health relates to emotional and cognitive functioning, physical health to bodily condition and fitness, and spiritual health to meaning and values. Each dimension therefore has its own characteristic indicators.

Question 4Foundations and Meaning of Health and Physical Education

The Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion (1986) identified five action areas. Which of the following is one of those action areas?

  1. Compulsory annual medical examination for all adults.
  2. Building healthy public policy. Correct answer.
  3. Subsidising pharmaceutical companies to lower drug prices.
  4. Increasing the number of hospital beds in urban districts.

Explanation

The Ottawa Charter's five action areas are building healthy public policy, creating supportive environments, strengthening community action, developing personal skills, and reorienting health services. Building healthy public policy is therefore a direct charter element. The other options are service or financing measures, not charter action areas.

Question 5Foundations and Meaning of Health and Physical Education

In the natural history of disease, the stage of prepathogenesis is best described as which of the following?

  1. The period of recovery or of permanent disability after treatment.
  2. The period when the disease process has begun but no symptoms have appeared.
  3. The period when signs and symptoms are clearly present and diagnosis is made.
  4. The period before the disease agent interacts with the host, involving agent, host and environment factors. Correct answer.

Explanation

Prepathogenesis refers to the time before the agent, host and environmental factors interact to initiate disease; it is the phase of susceptibility in the epidemiological triad. The phase after interaction but before symptoms is pathogenesis (subclinical), and the period of symptoms is clinical disease. Prevention at the prepathogenic stage is primary prevention.

Question 6Foundations and Meaning of Health and Physical Education

Which of the following best distinguishes primary prevention from secondary prevention?

  1. Primary prevention is always more expensive than secondary prevention.
  2. Primary prevention treats established disease, while secondary prevention prevents complications.
  3. Primary prevention applies only to communicable diseases, while secondary prevention applies only to non-communicable diseases.
  4. Primary prevention acts before disease occurs, while secondary prevention detects and treats disease early in its course. Correct answer.

Explanation

Primary prevention aims to stop disease from occurring at all, for example through immunisation or health education. Secondary prevention acts after the disease process has begun but before it becomes clinically advanced, through early detection and prompt treatment such as screening. The distinction rests on timing in the natural history of disease, not on cost or disease type.

Question 7Foundations and Meaning of Health and Physical Education

According to the WHO, which statement best defines health education?

  1. A process of providing health information and developing the attitudes and skills that enable people to make informed decisions about their health. Correct answer.
  2. The clinical treatment of patients in a hospital setting.
  3. A government programme for building hospitals and training doctors.
  4. Any activity that supplies people with information about diseases.

Explanation

Health education is a communication process that goes beyond merely giving information; it aims to develop understanding, attitudes and skills so that people can act on their own health decisions. Information alone does not constitute education. Clinical care and infrastructure development are separate functions of the health system.

Question 8Foundations and Meaning of Health and Physical Education

A school introduces a weekly poster campaign warning students to avoid junk food but offers no other activities. Which principle of health education does this approach most clearly violate?

  1. The principle of focusing exclusively on the school environment.
  2. The principle of using qualified medical staff only.
  3. The principle of avoiding community involvement in school health.
  4. The principle of using multiple methods and channels to reinforce a message. Correct answer.

Explanation

Effective health education requires a combination of methods and repeated reinforcement, since a single poster channel rarely changes behaviour. Good practice combines instruction, demonstration, practice and supportive environments. The other options are not established principles of health education.

Question 9Foundations and Meaning of Health and Physical Education

Which statement correctly describes the relationship between health education and health promotion?

  1. Health promotion is a narrower term that is fully contained within health education.
  2. Health promotion refers only to mass media advertising campaigns.
  3. Health education and health promotion are identical terms used interchangeably in all documents.
  4. Health promotion is the wider process that includes health education together with policy, environmental and organisational measures. Correct answer.

Explanation

Health promotion is the broader concept: it combines educational efforts with policy, environmental, economic and organisational strategies that support health. Health education is one important component of health promotion. The two terms are related but not interchangeable.

Question 10Foundations and Meaning of Health and Physical Education

Which of the following is the most accurate statement about the aim of physical education in the school curriculum?

  1. It aims to prepare students exclusively for national-level competitions.
  2. It aims to identify and train only those students who can become competitive athletes.
  3. It aims to replace academic subjects with daily sports practice.
  4. It aims to develop physical fitness, motor skills, knowledge and positive attitudes that support lifelong active living for all students. Correct answer.

Explanation

Physical education is an educational programme for every student, not a talent-selection scheme. Its aims include physical fitness, motor skill development, cognitive understanding of movement and health, and affective outcomes such as cooperation and lifelong participation. Competitive sport is only one possible medium for these aims.

Question 11Foundations and Meaning of Health and Physical Education

A teacher plans a unit in which students learn the rules of kabaddi, practise the skills, and then organise and officiate a small tournament. Which statement best describes the educational value of this unit?

  1. It develops only the cognitive domain because rules are being learned.
  2. It develops only the psychomotor domain because it involves physical activity.
  3. It has no affective value because competition discourages cooperation.
  4. It develops cognitive, psychomotor and affective learning simultaneously. Correct answer.

Explanation

Physical education is valued because it can address several learning domains at once. Learning rules and officiating engages the cognitive domain, practising skills engages the psychomotor domain, and organising a tournament with others engages the affective domain of cooperation and leadership. Restricting the unit to a single domain misrepresents its educational value.

Question 12Foundations and Meaning of Health and Physical Education

Which of the following best states the relationship between physical education and recreation?

  1. Recreation and physical education are identical because both involve movement.
  2. Physical education excludes games and sports, which belong only to recreation.
  3. Recreation is always competitive, whereas physical education is never competitive.
  4. Physical education is a compulsory educational process, while recreation is voluntary activity undertaken for enjoyment and refreshment. Correct answer.

Explanation

Physical education is a structured, curriculum-based educational process, whereas recreation is freely chosen activity pursued for enjoyment, relaxation and refreshment. The two overlap in content such as games and outdoor activities, but they differ in purpose and voluntariness. Physical education can prepare students to use recreation throughout life.

Question 13Foundations and Meaning of Health and Physical Education

Which of the following is a recognised biological benefit of regular physical activity?

  1. Immediate elimination of all genetic disorders.
  2. Improved cardiorespiratory endurance and more efficient glucose use by muscles. Correct answer.
  3. Complete prevention of sports injuries during training.
  4. Permanent immunity to all communicable diseases.

Explanation

Regular activity strengthens the heart and lungs and improves muscular uptake of glucose, which supports metabolic health. Physical activity cannot confer immunity to every infection, alter genetic disorders, or make injuries impossible. These claims overstate what exercise can do.

Question 14Foundations and Meaning of Health and Physical Education

A student who feels anxious before examinations begins a regular morning walking programme and reports improved mood and better sleep. Which category of benefit does this most directly illustrate?

  1. Psychological benefit Correct answer.
  2. Economic benefit
  3. Ecological benefit
  4. Occupational benefit

Explanation

Improved mood, reduced anxiety and better sleep are psychological outcomes of regular physical activity, linked to changes in stress hormones and neurotransmitters. Economic, ecological and occupational benefits refer to different spheres such as productivity, environmental impact and work performance. The student's reported changes are therefore psychological.

Question 15Foundations and Meaning of Health and Physical Education

Which statement correctly describes the role of the WHO in international health?

  1. It directly operates all hospitals in every member country.
  2. It is a private philanthropic foundation funded entirely by donations.
  3. It sets international health standards, coordinates global health responses and provides technical guidance to member states. Correct answer.
  4. It has authority to enforce domestic health laws in member states.

Explanation

The WHO is the United Nations agency for health, and its functions include setting norms and standards, coordinating responses to global health threats and giving technical assistance to member states. It does not run national hospital systems or enforce domestic laws, since member states retain sovereignty. It is funded through assessed contributions and voluntary contributions, not as a private foundation.

Question 16Foundations and Meaning of Health and Physical Education

Which of the following best explains why health is described as a fundamental human right in international declarations?

  1. Because every person should have access to conditions and services that enable the highest attainable standard of health, without discrimination. Correct answer.
  2. Because health status is identical across all populations.
  3. Because governments are legally required to cure every disease.
  4. Because health care is provided free of charge in every country.

Explanation

Framing health as a human right means that all people should have access to the conditions and services needed for the highest attainable standard of health, without discrimination. It does not mean that all health care is free everywhere, that health outcomes are equal, or that every disease can be cured. The right concerns availability, accessibility, acceptability and quality of health conditions and services.

Question 17Foundations and Meaning of Health and Physical Education

In the epidemiological triad, which factor refers to the characteristics of the person that influence susceptibility to disease, such as age, immunity and genetic makeup?

  1. Agent
  2. Environment
  3. Vector
  4. Host Correct answer.

Explanation

The host is the organism, usually a person, in which disease may develop, and host factors such as age, nutritional status, immunity and heredity determine susceptibility. The agent is the causative factor, the environment is the surrounding conditions that bring agent and host together, and a vector is a living transmitter of infection.

Question 18Foundations and Meaning of Health and Physical Education

A district health officer wants to reduce the incidence of dengue. Which action is an example of primary prevention at the environmental level?

  1. Screening school children for antibodies against dengue.
  2. Training doctors to manage severe dengue cases in hospital.
  3. Eliminating stagnant water and covering water containers to destroy mosquito breeding sites. Correct answer.
  4. Providing physiotherapy for patients recovering from dengue.

Explanation

Removing breeding sites acts before infection occurs by reducing the vector population, which is primary prevention directed at the environment. Hospital treatment and rehabilitation are tertiary prevention, while antibody screening is secondary prevention through early detection. Primary prevention aims to prevent the disease from occurring at all.

Question 19Foundations and Meaning of Health and Physical Education

Which statement best explains the term 'positive health' as used in health education literature?

  1. A condition achieved only through regular hospital check-ups.
  2. The absence of any diagnosed disease or disability.
  3. A measure of the number of illnesses a person has experienced.
  4. A state in which a person has the capacity to enjoy life and meet the demands of daily living with reserve and resilience. Correct answer.

Explanation

Positive health emphasises capacity, resilience and the ability to cope with life's demands rather than merely the absence of disease. It reflects a continuum view in which people can move toward better health through lifestyle and supportive conditions. Hospital check-ups and illness counts describe clinical or negative indicators instead.

Question 20Foundations and Meaning of Health and Physical Education

In the context of school health programmes, which combination best represents the components recommended by comprehensive school health approaches?

  1. Only classroom lectures on hygiene delivered by science teachers.
  2. Health instruction, a healthy school environment, health services and school–community linkages. Correct answer.
  3. Only physical education periods scheduled in the timetable.
  4. Only annual medical examinations conducted by visiting doctors.

Explanation

Comprehensive school health approaches combine health instruction, a healthy physical and social environment, health services and counselling, and links with families and the community. A single component such as examinations, physical education periods or lectures cannot deliver the full range of school health goals. The strength of the approach lies in the integration of these parts.

Question 21Growth, Development and Physical Fitness

In the context of growth and development, which term describes the measurable increase in body size and mass over time?

  1. Adaptation
  2. Development
  3. Maturation
  4. Growth Correct answer.

Explanation

Growth refers specifically to the quantitative increase in physical size, weight and dimensions of the body or its parts, which can be measured in centimetres or kilograms. Development is broader and includes functional and skill changes, while maturation refers to the timing of progress toward the mature state.

Question 22Growth, Development and Physical Fitness

A physical education teacher records a student's height every six months and finds steady increases. This measurement is best described as an assessment of:

  1. Skill acquisition
  2. Motor development
  3. Physical growth Correct answer.
  4. Cardiovascular endurance

Explanation

Repeated height measurements track the quantitative increase in body size, which is the defining feature of physical growth. Motor development and skill acquisition concern changes in movement ability, and endurance is a fitness component rather than a size measure.

Question 23Growth, Development and Physical Fitness

Which principle of growth states that development proceeds from the head region downward to the lower body?

  1. Principle of readiness
  2. Principle of individual difference
  3. Proximodistal principle
  4. Cephalocaudal principle Correct answer.

Explanation

The cephalocaudal principle describes the head-to-tail direction of growth, so the head and brain develop earlier and faster than the trunk and legs. The proximodistal principle instead describes growth from the centre of the body outward to the limbs.

Question 24Growth, Development and Physical Fitness

During adolescence, which change is a primary sex characteristic rather than a secondary sex characteristic?

  1. Enlargement of the testes in boys Correct answer.
  2. Widening of the hips in girls
  3. Growth of facial hair in boys
  4. Deepening of the voice in boys

Explanation

Primary sex characteristics are the reproductive organs themselves, such as the testes and ovaries, which enlarge during puberty. Voice change, facial hair and hip widening are secondary sex characteristics that develop under the influence of sex hormones but are not reproductive organs.

Question 25Growth, Development and Physical Fitness

A 14-year-old suddenly gains height rapidly while peers of the same age grow slowly. Which growth principle does this best illustrate?

  1. Principle of continuity
  2. Principle of individual difference Correct answer.
  3. Principle of integration
  4. Cephalocaudal principle

Explanation

The principle of individual difference recognises that children of the same chronological age vary widely in the rate and timing of growth. A growth spurt that appears earlier than peers reflects normal variation in individual timing rather than a general rule of growth direction.

Question 26Growth, Development and Physical Fitness

According to the proximodistal principle, which pattern of motor development is expected in infancy?

  1. Control of the shoulder before control of the fingers Correct answer.
  2. Control of the legs before control of the trunk
  3. Equal control of all limbs from birth
  4. Control of fingers before control of the shoulder

Explanation

The proximodistal principle states that growth and motor control proceed from the central part of the body outward, so large proximal joints such as the shoulder gain control before the distal fingers. This explains why infants reach with the whole arm before developing fine finger grasp.

Question 27Growth, Development and Physical Fitness

Which fitness component is best assessed by a 12-minute run-walk test?

  1. Flexibility
  2. Cardiovascular endurance Correct answer.
  3. Agility
  4. Muscular strength

Explanation

A 12-minute run-walk test measures how far a person can cover in a set time, which reflects the ability of the heart and lungs to supply oxygen during sustained activity. That capacity is cardiovascular endurance, not strength, flexibility or agility.

Question 28Growth, Development and Physical Fitness

A student can push a heavy box once but cannot repeat the effort many times. This best reflects a limitation in:

  1. Reaction time
  2. Cardiovascular endurance
  3. Muscular strength
  4. Muscular endurance Correct answer.

Explanation

Muscular endurance is the ability to sustain repeated muscle contractions or hold a contraction over time. Producing one maximal effort shows strength is present, but the inability to repeat it points to poor endurance of that muscle group.

Question 29Growth, Development and Physical Fitness

Which of the following is a health-related component of physical fitness rather than a skill-related component?

  1. Agility
  2. Balance
  3. Speed
  4. Flexibility Correct answer.

Explanation

Health-related fitness components include cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength, muscular endurance, flexibility and body composition. Agility, balance and speed belong to the skill-related components used in sports performance.

Question 30Growth, Development and Physical Fitness

A coach wants to test explosive leg power in a standing vertical jump. Which fitness component is being measured?

  1. Cardiovascular endurance
  2. Body composition
  3. Flexibility
  4. Muscular power Correct answer.

Explanation

Muscular power is the ability to exert force quickly, which is exactly what a standing vertical jump requires as the legs extend forcefully in a short time. It differs from pure strength because speed of movement is central to the performance.

Question 31Growth, Development and Physical Fitness

Which of the following best defines physical fitness?

  1. The absence of disease in the body
  2. The ability to perform daily tasks with vigour and without undue fatigue, with reserve energy for emergencies Correct answer.
  3. The maximum body weight a person can lift once
  4. The total number of hours a person exercises each week

Explanation

Physical fitness is a broad capacity to carry out daily activities energetically and without excessive fatigue while retaining reserve energy for unexpected demands. It is not defined by a single performance measure, training hours or mere absence of illness.

Question 32Growth, Development and Physical Fitness

A child's motor skills develop in a predictable order of stages. Which term describes this orderly progression?

  1. Motor development Correct answer.
  2. Motor fitness
  3. Motor learning plateau
  4. Motor unit recruitment

Explanation

Motor development refers to the sequential, age-related changes in movement abilities from reflexive to skilled patterns. Motor fitness refers to performance capacities, motor unit recruitment is a neuromuscular mechanism, and a plateau is a temporary halt in learning.

Question 33Growth, Development and Physical Fitness

Which factor most directly explains why children of the same age differ in height and weight?

  1. Heredity and nutrition acting together Correct answer.
  2. The number of physical education periods per week
  3. The order of birth alone
  4. The type of school uniform worn

Explanation

Growth is influenced by both genetic potential inherited from parents and environmental factors such as nutrition, health and activity. These two factors together account for most variation in height and weight among children of the same age.

Question 34Growth, Development and Physical Fitness

A physical education teacher uses a sit-and-reach box to assess students. Which fitness component is being measured?

  1. Flexibility Correct answer.
  2. Agility
  3. Power
  4. Muscular endurance

Explanation

The sit-and-reach test measures the range of motion of the lower back and hamstrings, which is a standard field measure of flexibility. It does not require sustained force, rapid direction change or explosive effort.

Question 35Growth, Development and Physical Fitness

Which statement about the relationship between growth and development is most accurate?

  1. Growth and development are the same process measured in different units
  2. Development stops when growth stops at adulthood
  3. Growth continues throughout life while development stops in childhood
  4. Growth is quantitative while development is qualitative and includes functional change Correct answer.

Explanation

Growth is quantitative, involving measurable increases in size and mass, whereas development is qualitative and covers functional, cognitive and social changes. The two proceed together but are not identical, and development continues into adulthood in various forms.

Question 36Growth, Development and Physical Fitness

During which period does the adolescent growth spurt typically occur in girls?

  1. Between about 10 and 12 years Correct answer.
  2. After 20 years
  3. Between about 8 and 10 years
  4. Between about 16 and 18 years

Explanation

In girls the growth spurt usually begins around 10 to 11 years and peaks near 12 years, earlier than in boys. This earlier timing reflects the earlier onset of puberty in girls and explains why some girls are temporarily taller than boys of the same age.

Question 37Growth, Development and Physical Fitness

A student performs 30 sit-ups in one minute. This test primarily assesses:

  1. Flexibility of the hamstrings
  2. Muscular endurance of the abdominal muscles Correct answer.
  3. Cardiovascular endurance
  4. Maximum muscular strength of the legs

Explanation

A one-minute sit-up test measures how many repeated contractions the abdominal muscles can perform, which is muscular endurance. It does not measure maximal force, joint range of motion or whole-body oxygen transport.

Question 38Growth, Development and Physical Fitness

Which of the following best explains the term 'body composition' as a fitness component?

  1. The total height of a person
  2. The speed at which a person runs
  3. The proportion of fat mass to lean mass in the body Correct answer.
  4. The number of bones in the skeleton

Explanation

Body composition describes the relative proportions of fat and fat-free mass such as muscle, bone and water. It is a health-related fitness component because excess fat mass is associated with reduced health and performance.

Question 39Growth, Development and Physical Fitness

A boy of 13 shows no sign of voice change while his classmate of the same age has a deep voice. The most appropriate interpretation is:

  1. Voice change is unrelated to puberty
  2. The first boy has a growth disorder
  3. Puberty timing varies between individuals, which is normal Correct answer.
  4. The second boy is older than his stated age

Explanation

The timing of puberty varies considerably among normal individuals, so differences in secondary sex characteristics at the same age are expected. A single sign such as voice change is not sufficient to diagnose a disorder.

Question 40Growth, Development and Physical Fitness

Which principle of growth explains that development proceeds from general responses to specific responses?

  1. Principle of readiness
  2. Principle of mass to specific Correct answer.
  3. Cephalocaudal principle
  4. Principle of continuity

Explanation

The principle of mass to specific development states that large, general movements appear before refined, specific ones, as when an infant swipes with the whole arm before pointing with one finger. It is distinct from the directional principles of growth.

Question 41Growth, Development and Physical Fitness

A coach designs a training programme for an adolescent athlete. Which consideration is most important for safe development?

  1. Using adult training loads from the start
  2. Avoiding all weight-bearing activity
  3. Matching training load to the athlete's stage of growth and maturity Correct answer.
  4. Focusing only on competition results

Explanation

Adolescents vary in biological maturity, and training loads should be adjusted to the individual's growth stage to reduce injury risk and support healthy development. Adult programmes applied too early can overload growing bones and joints.

Question 42Growth, Development and Physical Fitness

Which statement correctly distinguishes health-related from skill-related fitness components?

  1. Skill-related components reduce disease risk, while health-related ones enhance sports performance
  2. Health-related components are only for children, while skill-related ones are only for adults
  3. Health-related components reduce disease risk, while skill-related components enhance sports performance Correct answer.
  4. Both groups measure the same underlying capacities

Explanation

Health-related components such as endurance, strength, flexibility and body composition are linked to good health and reduced disease risk. Skill-related components such as agility, balance, speed, power, coordination and reaction time mainly support athletic performance.

Question 43Growth, Development and Physical Fitness

Which of the following is the most direct measure of cardiovascular endurance in a school setting?

  1. Performing a standing broad jump
  2. Measuring the resting heart rate after one minute of rest
  3. Completing a 20-metre multi-stage shuttle run Correct answer.
  4. Counting the number of push-ups in one minute

Explanation

The multi-stage shuttle run progressively increases running speed to exhaustion, which stresses the oxygen transport system and estimates maximal aerobic capacity. Resting heart rate alone is not a direct performance measure, and the other tests assess muscular or power capacities.

Question 44Growth, Development and Physical Fitness

A 16-year-old reports that training has stopped improving performance despite continued effort. Which concept best describes this?

  1. Growth spurt
  2. Maturation
  3. Training plateau Correct answer.
  4. Overtraining

Explanation

A training plateau is a period in which performance stops improving despite continued training, often requiring variation in load or recovery. Overtraining involves fatigue and declining performance, whereas a plateau simply reflects adaptation to a familiar stimulus.

Question 45Nutrition, Diet and Balanced Diet

In the study of balanced diets, which nutrient group is the body's most concentrated source of energy, supplying about 9 kcal per gram?

  1. Dietary fibre
  2. Fats and lipids Correct answer.
  3. Carbohydrates
  4. Proteins

Explanation

Fats yield roughly 9 kcal per gram, whereas carbohydrates and proteins each supply about 4 kcal per gram. Because fat carries more than twice the energy per gram, it is described as the most concentrated energy source in the diet. Fibre supplies little usable energy because humans cannot digest it fully.

Question 46Nutrition, Diet and Balanced Diet

A student's diet is described as balanced when it provides which combination?

  1. Large quantities of protein and fat with very little carbohydrate
  2. All essential nutrients in the correct proportions together with adequate water and roughage Correct answer.
  3. Energy equal to the amount consumed in a single large meal each day
  4. Only fruits and vegetables eaten at every meal

Explanation

A balanced diet supplies carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, water and roughage in the proportions the body needs for growth, repair and energy. Quantity alone does not make a diet balanced; the correct proportion of each nutrient is essential. Water and fibre are included because they support digestion and metabolism.

Question 47Nutrition, Diet and Balanced Diet

Which vitamin deficiency is classically associated with night blindness and is prevented by eating carrots, papaya and green leafy vegetables?

  1. Vitamin C
  2. Vitamin A Correct answer.
  3. Vitamin K
  4. Vitamin D

Explanation

Vitamin A is needed to form rhodopsin, the pigment that allows the eye to adapt to dim light, so deficiency causes night blindness. Carrots, papaya and green leafy vegetables are rich sources of provitamin A carotenoids. Other vitamins listed have different deficiency diseases.

Question 48Nutrition, Diet and Balanced Diet

Which mineral is essential for the formation of haemoglobin, and whose deficiency leads to anaemia?

  1. Sodium
  2. Iodine
  3. Iron Correct answer.
  4. Calcium

Explanation

Iron is a component of the haem group of haemoglobin, which transports oxygen in the blood. When iron intake is inadequate, haemoglobin formation falls and iron-deficiency anaemia develops. The other minerals serve different functions.

Question 49Nutrition, Diet and Balanced Diet

Which food group is the richest source of complete protein for a vegetarian student in West Bengal?

  1. Refined rice and wheat flour
  2. Sugar and jaggery
  3. Pulses and legumes such as dal and soyabean Correct answer.
  4. Butter and ghee

Explanation

Pulses, legumes and soyabean supply substantial protein and, when combined with cereals, provide a good amino acid balance. Cereals alone are limited in certain essential amino acids. Fats and sugars contribute energy but almost no protein.

Question 50Nutrition, Diet and Balanced Diet

Which condition results from a prolonged deficiency of protein and energy in young children, producing stunted growth and a swollen belly?

  1. Scurvy
  2. Kwashiorkor Correct answer.
  3. Diabetes mellitus
  4. Obesity

Explanation

Kwashiorkor is a protein-energy malnutrition disorder marked by oedema, poor growth and low resistance to infection. It typically appears in young children after weaning when the diet is very low in protein. The other conditions have different causes.