GE202: Agriculture, Food& Nutrition

in the Developing World_202001

Week 10: Nutrition

Health Geography approach
 Nutrition & Development Considerations

① The Role of Nutrition in Social and Economic

Development

① Policy Considerations for Nutrition in

Developing Countries
 World’s Current Malnutrition
Trend Definition &
Types
What is Malnutrition?
• A pathological
condition caused
by the lack of
nutrients that is vital
for
– survival, growth,
reproduction, the
capacity to learn
and function in
– Under
society nutrition:
Deficit energy or
• Types:
nutrient intake
– Over nutrition:
Excess energy or http://www.fao.org/3/u8480e/u8480e04.htm
nutrient intake
World’s Current Malnutrition
Trend
Definition & Types

http://wwwf.imperial.ac.uk/blog/imperial-medicine/files/2019/03/underweight-chart.jpg
What is Malnutrition?

https://www.iaea.org/sites/default/files/uauy-presentation190917.pdf
 Many causes of malnutrition
There are many causes of malnutrition.
• They are:
– biological,
– socioeconomic,
– cultural,
– political,
– demographical and
– environmental causes.
 Causes of Malnutrition
Malnutrition is caused by different
mutually dependent and independent
causes and it is difficult to talk about one
not mentioning the other.

Although poverty might be seen as the main

cause of malnutrition,

… but it is not the only one.

 Over-Nutrition
OVERNUTRITION
is improper dieting:
… overeating,
that is usually
observed in the initial stages of
economically developed countries (emergent
economies)

The consequence is … obesity

 Under-nutrition
UNDERNUTRITION
• typically related with
extreme poverty in
economically developing &
underdeveloped countries
and may end in starvation.

• Young children affected

greatly
Mapping of Global Malnutrition
 World’s Current Malnutrition Trend
Regional differences….

• Sub-Saharan Africa - modest progress

– Has the highest prevalence of undernourishment
– Approximately one in four people in the region
remains undernourished.

• Asia
– still has the highest number of undernourished …
… WHY?...... (most populous region
in the world)
– South Asia made slow progress
– East & SE Asia made progress
 World’s Current Malnutrition Trend

Latin America and the Caribbean (as a whole) -

met the SDG1 hunger target
Meeting targets
• Sustained political commitment.
– placing food security and nutrition at the top of the
political agenda and
– creating an enabling environment for improving food
security and nutrition
 Health geographies
• Health geographies are interested in socio-spatial, historical, and economic
determinants of health.

• What are socio-spatial, historical, and economic determinants of health?

• Historical experience
• Country’s governance
• Level of economic development
• Food security

• Income inequality
• Social inclusion and exclusion
• Employment and job security, working conditions
• Early childhood care
• Level of education
• Housing
The Global Distribution of Health, Disease, and
Disability:
Public Health Spending (Percent of GDP)
The Global Distribution of Health, Disease, and
Disability:
Private Health Spending (Percent of GDP)
 Obesity in USA
• Obesity Trends Among US Adults CDC’s Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System
1991-2003
1991 1996

No Data <10% 10-14% 15-19% 20-24% >25%

2003
 Obesity
Percent Obese
Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System
Characteristics

Data by Year: 1991 1995 1998 1999 2000 2001

Race, ethnicity
White, non Hispanic 11.3 14.5 16.6 17.7 18.5 19.6
Black, non Hispanic 19.3 22.6 26.9 27.3 29.3 31.1
Hispanic 11.6 16.8 20.8 21.5 23.4 23.7
Other 7.3 9.6 11.9 12.4 12.0 15.7
 Obesity
Distributions of body mass index among persons 18 years of age
and over, by selected characteristics: United States, 2001
Body mass index among persons 18 years of age and over

Poverty Status Underweight Healthy Weight Overweight Obese (%)

Poor 2.6 39.4 28.7 26.0
Near Poor 2.3 38.1 33.0 23.2
Not Poor 1.6 38.5 36.1 21.5
 Obesity
Percent Obese
Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System
Characteristics

Data by Year: 1991 1995 1998 1999 2000 2001

Education level
Less than high school 16.5 20.1 24.1 25.3 26.1 27.4
High school degree 13.3 16.7 19.4 20.6 21.7 23.2
Some college 10.7 15.1 17.8 18.1 19.5 21.0
College or above 8.0 11.0 13.1 14.3 15.2 15.7
Possible factors of obesity
• Why is the ratio of obesity higher among…
Health
• So what do geographers and other social scientists do
with health issues?
Nutrition challenges in Pacific Island Countries
• Already we have looked at various historical, social,
and economic factors on nutrition in Pacific Island
Countries, together with a case study from Canada.

• Unfortunately, time does not go back. So, where to go

from here?

• Going back to self-reliant society or adopting an

isolation policy is hardly realistic under globalization.
 The importance of peoples
NUTRITIONAL STATUS
• A well-nourished, healthy workforce is a pre-
condition for sustainable development.

• A reflection of the performance of its social and

economic sectors;

• An indication of the efficiency of national

resource allocation.
 Food Security

• Good nutritional status is achieved when INDIVIDUALS

within families and communities are FOOD-SECURE
• Food security has been defined as access by all people at
all times to the food needed for a healthy life
(FAO/WHO, 1992a)

• Food security has three important

dimensions:
1. adequate availability of food supplies
2. assured access to sufficient food for all individuals;
3. proper utilization of food to provide a proper and
balanced diet.
4. …. STABILITY
 Food security

• How to improve food security?

• Urban gardening (backyard gardening)

• Let’s see Cuba’s case study

• What does this case study imply to Pacific

Island countries?

• Also some interesting cases may be found at:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTxOgdTliUEymnPSl3EyuZA