plumiHow can lifestyle, genes and the environment affect health?: OCR GCSE Biology B questions
Every OCR GCSE Biology B exam question on B2.5 How can lifestyle, genes and the environment affect health?, 2018–2025, with its mark scheme and examiner’s report.
Paper
All papers
Exam
All years
Calculations
Q7(a)(i)
The whole paper ↗Q7(a)(ii)
The whole paper ↗Q7(a)(iii)
The whole paper ↗Q7(b)(i)
The whole paper ↗Q7(b)(ii)
The whole paper ↗Q7(b)(iii)
The whole paper ↗Q7(b)(iv)
The whole paper ↗Q7(b)(v)
The whole paper ↗Q3(e)
The whole paper ↗
Q5(a)
The whole paper ↗
Q5(b)
The whole paper ↗Q5(c)
The whole paper ↗Q5(d)
The whole paper ↗Q5(e)
The whole paper ↗Q2(a)
The whole paper ↗
Q2(b)
The whole paper ↗Q4(c)
The whole paper ↗
Q4(d)
The whole paper ↗Q4(e)(i)
The whole paper ↗Q4(e)(ii)
The whole paper ↗
All 66 questions on How can lifestyle, genes and the environment affect health?, as a list
- June 2025, Paper 2 Foundation, Q7(a)(i) (1 mark): What percentage of women were classed as severely obese in 2002? Percentage = % [1]
- June 2025, Paper 2 Foundation, Q7(a)(ii) (3 marks): Which three statements about the data in Fig. 7.1 are true? Tick (3) three boxes. 2000 to 2002 was the only time period where the percentage of men classed as s
- June 2025, Paper 2 Foundation, Q7(a)(iii) (2 marks): The percentages of women and men with cardiovascular disease also increased from 2000 to 2019. Suggest how the data in Fig. 7.1 could be linked to the increase
- June 2025, Paper 2 Foundation, Q7(b)(i) (2 marks): An adult has a mass of 81 kg and a height of 1.80 m Calculate the body mass index (BMI) of the adult. Use the equation: BMI = body mass , where body mass is in
- June 2025, Paper 2 Foundation, Q7(b)(ii) (1 mark): Table 7.2 shows how BMI values can be categorised. Table 7.2 BMI (kg / m2) < 18.5 18.5 – 24.9 25.0 – 29.9 30.0 – 34.9 > 34.9 Category Underweight Ideal Overweig
- June 2025, Paper 2 Foundation, Q7(b)(iii) (2 marks): Some doctors think that a person’s BMI alone can be misleading. They recommend that a person’s waist-to-height ratio should also be considered. Zayn has a waist
- June 2025, Paper 2 Foundation, Q7(b)(iv) (3 marks): Table 7.3 shows how waist-to-height ratios can be categorised. Table 7.3 Waist-to-height ratio < 0.40 0.40 – 0.49 0.50 – 0.53 > 0.53 Category Underweight Ideal
- June 2025, Paper 2 Foundation, Q7(b)(v) (2 marks): Alex is thinking about his health. Here are some notes about Alex. Waist-to-height ratio: 0.43 Body type: Very muscular. Low levels of body fat. Exercise: Runni
- June 2025, Paper 3 Higher, Q3(e) (2 marks): Scientists think that an increase in mercury consumption is linked to increased risk of cardiovascular disease in humans. To investigate this, they conducted a
- June 2025, Paper 4 Higher, Q5(a) (1 mark): What was the highest recorded percentage of men classed as severely obese between 2000 and 2019 and in which year did it occur? Percentage = % Year = [1]
- June 2025, Paper 4 Higher, Q5(b) (2 marks): Calculate the average annual increase in the percentage of women classed as severely obese between 2000 and 2019. Give your answer to 2 significant figures. Ave
- June 2025, Paper 4 Higher, Q5(c) (1 mark): One conclusion that can be made from the graph is that the general trend was an increase in severe obesity levels for both women and men. State one other conclu
- June 2025, Paper 4 Higher, Q5(d) (2 marks): Predict the general trend in the number of people in the UK with cardiovascular disease (CVD) between 2000 and 2019. Explain how the graph supports your predict
- June 2025, Paper 4 Higher, Q5(e) (2 marks): It was not possible to collect data from every woman and man in the UK every year between 2000 and 2019. The data shown in the graph are estimates. Suggest how
- June 2024, Paper 1 Foundation, Q2(a) (2 marks): Which statements about the causes of death in men and women are true and which are false? Tick (✓) one box in each row. True False A bigger proportion of men di
- June 2024, Paper 1 Foundation, Q2(b) (2 marks): State two lifestyle factors that increase a person’s risk of developing cardiovascular disease. 1 2 [2]
- June 2024, Paper 2 Foundation, Q4(c) (2 marks): We feel a pulse in our arteries when our heart beats. Describe how to use your fingers to measure a person’s pulse rate in beats per minute. [2]
- June 2024, Paper 2 Foundation, Q4(d) (3 marks): Exercise affects pulse rate differently in a fit person and an unfit person. Charlie wants to use pulse rate to test the fitness levels of person A and person B
- June 2024, Paper 2 Foundation, Q4(e)(i) (1 mark): What was person B’s resting pulse rate? Resting pulse rate = beats per minute [1]
- June 2024, Paper 2 Foundation, Q4(e)(ii) (1 mark): How long after exercise ends did it take for person B’s pulse rate to return to its resting value? Time = minutes [1]
- June 2024, Paper 2 Foundation, Q4(e)(iii) (2 marks): By how many beats per minute did person B’s pulse rate increase from their resting pulse rate to their highest recorded pulse rate? Increase = beats per minute
- June 2024, Paper 2 Foundation, Q4(e)(iv) (3 marks): Charlie concludes that person B is fitter than person A. Describe three reasons why Charlie is correct. Use evidence from the graph. 1 2 3 [3]
- June 2024, Paper 4 Higher, Q3(c) (2 marks): We feel a pulse in our arteries when our heart beats. Charlie needs to measure the pulse rate of a person. The start of his method is: • press two fingers again
- June 2024, Paper 4 Higher, Q3(d)(i) (1 mark): What is the factor that Charlie is varying between the two people? [1]
- June 2024, Paper 4 Higher, Q3(d)(ii) (2 marks): Charlie makes sure that the two people are the same age, sex and ethnicity. Explain why. [2]
- June 2024, Paper 4 Higher, Q3(d)(iii) (1 mark): Suggest one other factor about the two people that should be the same. [1] The graph shows the pulse rate of each person before, during and after the test. Exer
- June 2024, Paper 4 Higher, Q3(e)(i) (3 marks): Describe what happens to the pulse rate of person A during the 5 minutes of exercise. Include data from the graph in your answer. [3]
- June 2024, Paper 4 Higher, Q3(e)(ii) (2 marks): Explain why person A’s pulse rate changes during the first minute of exercise. [2]
- June 2024, Paper 4 Higher, Q3(e)(iii) (1 mark): Describe one way the data in the graph shows person B is fitter than person A. [1]
- June 2023, Paper 2 Foundation, Q4(a)(i) (2 marks): What can you conclude about Leo’s blood pressure from Fig. 4.1? [2]
- June 2023, Paper 2 Foundation, Q4(a)(ii) (2 marks): Leo’s diastolic pressure remains at 76 mmHg. What range of systolic blood pressure would be ideal blood pressure for Leo? Ideal systolic blood pressure range =
- June 2023, Paper 2 Foundation, Q4(b)(i) (2 marks): Describe the trend in the data, using Fig. 4.2. [2]
- June 2023, Paper 2 Foundation, Q4(b)(ii) (3 marks): Explain how the amount of fat eaten could have an effect on the number of deaths due to CVD. Use ideas about changes in the body caused by eating fat. [3]
- June 2023, Paper 2 Foundation, Q4(b)(iii) (3 marks): Fig. 4.2 shows data from a sample of 100 000 people. What groups of people would you expect to be included in the sample to make it representative of the whole
- June 2023, Paper 2 Foundation, Q4(b)(iv) (2 marks): In this sample of 100 000 people, 3934 people died of CVD in one year. Calculate how many people you would expect to die in the UK population from CVD in one ye
- June 2023, Paper 2 Foundation, Q4(c)(i) (2 marks): Suggest two lifestyle changes Leo could make, other than taking medicine, to reduce his risk of CVD. 1 2 [2]
- June 2023, Paper 2 Foundation, Q4(c)(iv) (2 marks): Without medicine and lifestyle changes, Leo may need heart surgery. Evaluate the use of lifestyle changes to treat Leo compared with the use of surgery. [2]
- June 2023, Paper 3 Higher, Q6(b) (2 marks): There are other factors that increase the risk of a horse developing laminitis: • the breed of horse • if the horse has a medical condition called equine metabo
- June 2022, Paper 3 Higher, Q4(b) (2 marks): The graph shows the number of cases of liver disease in people in the UK. Male rates Female rates 80 60 Number of cases 40 (per 100 000) 20 0 0 5 10 15 20 25 30
- November 2020, Paper 1 Foundation, Q7(a)(i) (1 mark): How many male and female deaths occur for the age category 55-59? Male = Female = [1]
- November 2020, Paper 1 Foundation, Q7(a)(ii) (1 mark): Which conclusion can be drawn from the data in Fig. 7.1? Tick (V) one box. Men are generally at greater risk of dying from bowel cancer than women. The male ris
- November 2020, Paper 1 Foundation, Q7(b) (2 marks): Table 7.1 shows some data on the causes of bowel cancer in the UK. Cause of bowel cancer Percentage of cases in UK (%) processed meat 13 being overweight 11 dri
- November 2020, Paper 4 Higher, Q3(a)(i) (2 marks): Describe the trend shown on the scatter diagram. [2]
- November 2020, Paper 4 Higher, Q3(a)(ii) (1 mark): Smoking cigarettes is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, which can be life-threatening. This is one possible explanation for the trend shown in the scatt
- November 2020, Paper 4 Higher, Q3(a)(iii) (2 marks): Suggest two reasons why some of the results do not fit the trend. 1 2 [2]
- November 2020, Paper 4 Higher, Q3(a)(iv) (3 marks): Suggest why the findings from this study may not apply to the rest of the population. [3]
- November 2020, Paper 4 Higher, Q3(b)(i) (2 marks): Describe two ways Jack could change his lifestyle to reduce his risk of a heart attack. 1 2 [2]
- November 2020, Paper 4 Higher, Q3(b)(ii) (2 marks): Using medicines is an alternative way to treat Jack’s cardiovascular disease. Evaluate the advantages of making changes to Jack’s lifestyle rather than him taki
- June 2019, Paper 4 Higher, Q5(a)(i) (1 mark): After using the NHS, 98 000 of these people told their doctor they had stopped smoking. What percentage of the people who used the NHS said they had stopped smo
- June 2019, Paper 4 Higher, Q5(a)(ii) (1 mark): Doctors tested the breath of all the people who said they had stopped smoking. The tests showed that 72% of these people really had stopped smoking. How many pe
- June 2019, Paper 4 Higher, Q5(b) (3 marks): Cigarette smoke contains carcinogens. Carcinogens are substances that can cause mutations in a cell’s DNA. Explain how this can lead to cancer. [3]
- June 2019, Paper 4 Higher, Q5(c)(i) (2 marks): The mean concentration of NNK for Group 1 was 53 pg / mg The mean concentration of NNK for Group 3 was 1 pg / mg. Calculate the percentage change in the mean co
- June 2019, Paper 4 Higher, Q5(c)(ii) (2 marks): Read the news headline: E-cigarettes 98% safer than cigarettes Do you agree with the headline? Explain your answer. [2]
- June 2019, Paper 4 Higher, Q5(c)(iii) (6 marks): Smoking cigarettes is linked to lung cancer. (iii)* Beth is worried because her mother and sister both died from lung cancer. She plans to reduce the number of
- June 2018, Paper 1 Foundation, Q4(b) (2 marks): The table shows the number of women diagnosed with cancer of the ovaries between 2012 – 2014. Age range (years) Number of cases Below 20 56 20 – 29 208 30 – 39
- June 2018, Paper 2 Foundation, Q1(b) (3 marks): Ben is a middle-aged man with type 2 diabetes. He is worried because he has heard that having type 2 diabetes will mean he also gets cardiovascular disease. Wha
- June 2018, Paper 2 Foundation, Q1(c)(i) (2 marks): They start by sitting quietly for five minutes. Explain why they do this. [2]
- June 2018, Paper 2 Foundation, Q1(c)(ii) (3 marks): Describe how a student could measure the resting pulse rate of their partner. [3]
- June 2018, Paper 2 Foundation, Q1(c)(iii) (1 mark): The method that the students are working from says they should repeat the resting pulse rate measurement until they have enough data to calculate an average. Th
- June 2018, Paper 2 Foundation, Q1(c)(iv) (1 mark): Suggest why it is a good idea to calculate the average selected in (c)(iii). [1] Each student then exercises for 3 minutes by stepping up and down on a bench. A
- June 2018, Paper 2 Foundation, Q1(c)(v) (1 mark): How many of the students in the class have a fitness index score of 79 or lower? Number of students = [1]
- June 2018, Paper 2 Foundation, Q1(c)(vi) (2 marks): One of the students in the class has a fitness index score of 80. How does their level of fitness compare to that of their classmates? [2]
- June 2018, Paper 2 Foundation, Q1(c)(vii) (3 marks): Some of the students in the class have suggested that the school should organise regular lunchtime exercise sessions. Do you agree with their suggestion? Explai
- June 2018, Paper 3 Higher, Q5(a)(ii) (1 mark): Identify one factor that could increase a person’s risk of developing cancer. [1]
- June 2018, Paper 3 Higher, Q5(a)(iii) (2 marks): In the past it has been estimated that 1 in 3 people will develop cancer in their lifetime. Recent estimates suggest the ratio is 1 in 2. The UK population is 6
- June 2018, Paper 3 Higher, Q5(a)(iv) (1 mark): Suggest why the figure calculated in (a)(iii) will be an estimation. [1]
Questions, mark schemes and examiner’s reports are © OCR, from their published past papers. Plumi isn’t affiliated with any exam board. Want whole papers? Every OCR GCSE Biology B paper.
Rather write your answers by hand on iPad? Plumi marks them against the same mark schemes.