Diet, health and deficiency
A balanced diet is a balancing act between energy in, energy out, and the right mix of nutrients — get it wrong for long enough and the body shows it.
Part of your national curriculum
- Biology: structure and function: Understand the content of a healthy human diet and the consequences of imbalances, including obesity, starvation and deficiency diseases
Lesson overview
What you'll learn in this lesson
Understand the content of a healthy human diet and the consequences of imbalances, including obesity, starvation and deficiency diseases
Key learning points
- • Components of a balanced diet
- • Too much energy
- • Too little, or the wrong nutrients
This lesson at a glance
- 24 minutes
- 17 parts to scroll through
- 3 quick checks
- Marked quiz at the end
- Gentle pace: short sittings with pauses
Words to know
Scroll down — the lesson carries on below
Watch & discover
Part 1 of 17
Visual introductionPicture this
Diet, health and deficiency
A balanced diet is a balancing act between energy in, energy out, and the right mix of nutrients — get it wrong for long enough and the body shows it.
In a nutshell
Understand the content of a healthy human diet and the consequences of imbalances, including obesity, starvation and deficiency diseases
Learning cycle
Part 2 of 17
Learning cycle 1 of 2
Part 1 · Components of a balanced diet
A short piece of teaching, then a check to make sure it has landed.
Explore the idea
Part 3 of 17
Learn
Components of a balanced diet
A healthy diet contains carbohydrates and fats for energy, proteins for growth and repair, and small amounts of vitamins and minerals for specific body processes, plus fibre for digestion and water to stay hydrated.
Reset break
Part 4 of 17
Pause
That's sitting 1 of 4 done
Stretch, get a drink, look out of the window. There is no timer and nothing is counting down — your place is saved, so you can come back in five minutes or tomorrow.
Explore the idea
Part 5 of 17
Learn
Too much energy
If energy intake from food consistently exceeds energy used by the body, the excess is stored as fat, leading to obesity over time. Obesity increases the risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease and joint problems.
Quick check
Part 6 of 17
Quick check
Part 7 of 17
Reset break
Part 8 of 17
Pause
That's sitting 2 of 4 done
Stretch, get a drink, look out of the window. There is no timer and nothing is counting down — your place is saved, so you can come back in five minutes or tomorrow.
Learning cycle
Part 9 of 17
Learning cycle 2 of 2
Part 2 · Too little, or the wrong nutrients
A short piece of teaching, then a check to make sure it has landed.
Explore the idea
Part 10 of 17
Learn
Too little, or the wrong nutrients
Starvation, from too little food energy, causes muscle wasting and weakened immunity. Specific deficiencies cause named diseases: too little vitamin C causes scurvy, and too little vitamin D or calcium can cause weak, soft bones (rickets in children).
Quick check
Part 11 of 17
Reset break
Part 12 of 17
Pause
That's sitting 3 of 4 done
Stretch, get a drink, look out of the window. There is no timer and nothing is counting down — your place is saved, so you can come back in five minutes or tomorrow.
Challenge round
Part 13 of 17
Game · Sort it
Which of these are true?
Drag each card into the right column. Tap a card first if dragging is fiddly.
True
Not true
Challenge round
Part 14 of 17
Game · Fill the gaps
Finish the sentences
Choose the word that belongs in each gap.
A ____ diet contains carbohydrates and fats for energy, proteins for growth and repair, and small amounts of vitamins and minerals for specific body processes, plus fibre for digestion and water to stay hydrated.
If energy intake from food consistently exceeds energy used by the body, the excess is stored as fat, leading to ____ over time.
____, from too little food energy, causes muscle wasting and weakened immunity.
Challenge round
Part 15 of 17
Game · Recall cards
What happens if energy intake regularly exceeds energy used?
Card 1 of 3
Mastery quiz
Part 16 of 17
Marked quiz
End of lesson quiz: Diet, health and deficiency
3 questions, marked with the reasoning shown. No timer.
1. What happens if energy intake regularly exceeds energy used?
2. Which deficiency causes scurvy?
3. What is a health risk linked to obesity?
Lesson round-up
Part 17 of 17
Lesson round-up
Ready when you are
Quiz score
Not sat
Games
Not played
Points this lesson
0
Best run
0 in a row
Luna: 0 out of 3 on the practice checks. Only if you feel up to it — one more?
Ask LunaPart 1 of 17 · Watch & discover
How this is going
- Not looked at yet
Understand the content of a healthy human diet and the consequences of imbalances, including obesity, starvation and deficiency diseases