7.1

Diet

Cambridge IGCSE Biology (0610)  · Unit 7: Human nutrition  · 12 flashcards

Diet is topic 7.1 in the Cambridge IGCSE Biology (0610) syllabus , positioned in Unit 7 — Human nutrition , alongside Digestive system, Physical digestion and Chemical digestion.  In one line: A balanced diet contains all the necessary nutrients (carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, minerals, fibre, and water) in the correct proportions to meet an individual's needs for growth, repair, and energy.

This topic is examined in Paper 1 (multiple-choice) and Papers 3/4 (theory), plus Paper 5 or Paper 6 (practical / alternative to practical). Past papers from 2022 to 2025 confirm this is a high-yield topic: Cambridge has set 21 questions worth 346 marks here (about 5.2% of all Biology marks across those years).

The deck below contains 12 flashcards — 3 definitions and 9 key concepts — covering the precise wording mark schemes reward.  Use the 3 definition cards to lock down command-word answers (define, state), then move on to the concept and application cards to handle explain, describe and compare questions.

Key definition

Meant by a balanced diet

A balanced diet contains all the necessary nutrients (carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, minerals, fibre, and water) in the correct proportions to meet an individual's needs for growth, repair, and energy.

Example: athletes require more carbohydrates for energy than sedentary individuals.

What the Cambridge 0610 syllabus says

Official 2026-2028 spec

These are the exact learning objectives Cambridge sets for this topic. Match the command word (Describe, Explain, State, etc.) in your answer to score full marks.

  1. Describe Describe what is meant by a balanced diet
  2. State State the principal dietary sources and describe the importance of: (a) carbohydrates (b) fats and oils (c) proteins (d) vitamins, limited to C and D (e) mineral ions, limited to calcium and iron (f) fibre (roughage) (g) water
  3. State State the causes of scurvy and rickets
Definition Flip

What is meant by a balanced diet?

Answer Flip

A balanced diet contains all the necessary nutrients (carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, minerals, fibre, and water) in the correct proportions to meet an individual's needs for growth, repair, and energy.

Example: athletes require more carbohydrates for energy than sedentary individuals.
Key Concept Flip

What are the principal dietary sources and importance of carbohydrates?

Answer Flip

Sources: Bread, pasta, rice, potatoes. Importance: Primary source of energy for bodily functions, such as muscle contraction during exercise or maintaining body temperature. Glucose is broken down in respiration to release energy.

Key Concept Flip

What are the principal dietary sources and importance of fats and oils?

Answer Flip

Sources: Butter, oils, nuts, fatty fish. Importance: Energy storage, insulation, and protection of organs. They also form cell membranes and are needed for hormone production, like testosterone and estrogen.

Key Concept Flip

What are the principal dietary sources and importance of proteins?

Answer Flip

Sources: Meat, fish, eggs, beans, lentils. Importance: Growth and repair of tissues, enzyme production, antibody formation.

Example: keratin is a protein forming hair and nails, and enzymes like amylase digest starch.
Key Concept Flip

What are the principal dietary sources and importance of Vitamin C?

Answer Flip

Sources: Citrus fruits, green vegetables. Importance: Formation of collagen (important for skin, tendons, and ligaments), antioxidant, and boosts the immune system. A deficiency leads to scurvy.

Key Concept Flip

What are the principal dietary sources and importance of Vitamin D?

Answer Flip

Sources: Sunlight exposure, oily fish, fortified milk. Importance: Absorption of calcium from the gut for strong bones and teeth. A deficiency leads to rickets.

Key Concept Flip

What are the principal dietary sources and importance of Calcium?

Answer Flip

Sources: Dairy products, leafy green vegetables. Importance: Formation of strong bones and teeth, blood clotting, and muscle function.

Example: calcium ions are crucial for nerve impulse transmission.
Key Concept Flip

What are the principal dietary sources and importance of Iron?

Answer Flip

Sources: Red meat, liver, green vegetables. Importance: Component of hemoglobin in red blood cells, which carries oxygen. Iron deficiency leads to anemia.

Key Concept Flip

What are the principal dietary sources and importance of Fibre (roughage)?

Answer Flip

Sources: Fruits, vegetables, whole grains. Importance: Adds bulk to the diet, aiding in peristalsis and preventing constipation. Fibre is mostly undigestible plant material.

Key Concept Flip

What are the principal dietary sources and importance of Water?

Answer Flip

Sources: Drinks, fruits, vegetables. Importance: Solvent for metabolic reactions, transport of substances, temperature regulation.

Example: water transports nutrients in blood and helps excrete waste in urine.
Definition Flip

What are the causes of scurvy?

Answer Flip

Scurvy is caused by a deficiency of Vitamin C in the diet. Without enough Vitamin C, the body cannot produce sufficient collagen, leading to weakened connective tissues.

Definition Flip

What are the causes of rickets?

Answer Flip

Rickets is caused by a deficiency of Vitamin D or calcium in the diet. Lack of Vitamin D impairs calcium absorption, resulting in soft and weak bones, especially in children. Sunlight is a source for Vitamin D production.

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Key Questions: Diet

What is meant by a balanced diet?

A balanced diet contains all the necessary nutrients (carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, minerals, fibre, and water) in the correct proportions to meet an individual's needs for growth, repair, and energy.

Example: athletes require more carbohydrates for energy than sedentary individuals.
What are the causes of scurvy?

Scurvy is caused by a deficiency of Vitamin C in the diet. Without enough Vitamin C, the body cannot produce sufficient collagen, leading to weakened connective tissues.

What are the causes of rickets?

Rickets is caused by a deficiency of Vitamin D or calcium in the diet. Lack of Vitamin D impairs calcium absorption, resulting in soft and weak bones, especially in children. Sunlight is a source for Vitamin D production.

Tips to avoid common mistakes in Diet

More topics in Unit 7 — Human nutrition

Diet sits alongside these Biology decks in the same syllabus unit. Each uses the same spaced-repetition system, so progress in one informs the next.

7.2 Digestive system

13 flashcards
7.3 Physical digestion

10 flashcards
7.4 Chemical digestion

10 flashcards
7.5 Absorption

11 flashcards

Cambridge syllabus keywords to use in your answers

These are the official Cambridge 0610 terms tagged to this section. Mark schemes credit responses that use the exact term — weave them into your answers verbatim rather than paraphrasing.

balanced diet carbohydrate protein fat lipid vitamin mineral fibre water energy malnutrition obesity starvation vitamin C vitamin D calcium iron scurvy rickets anaemia

Key terms covered in this Diet deck

Every term below is defined in the flashcards above. Use the list as a quick recall test before your exam — if you can't define one of these in your own words, flip back to that card.

Meant by a balanced diet
The causes of scurvy
The causes of rickets

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How to study this Diet deck

Start in Study Mode, attempt each card before flipping, then rate Hard, Okay or Easy. Cards you rate Hard come back within a day; cards you rate Easy push out to weeks. Your progress is saved in your browser, so come back daily for 5–10 minute reviews until every card reads Mastered.