Nutri Sci 203 Exam 1
Who are some key actors? What are some examples of each kind? What is the World Bank? How is it involved and what goals do they aim to achieve by 2030?
Agencies of the United Nations: World Health Organization, UNICEF (Children's Fund) **can identify UNICEF as an agency, UNAIDS, UNFPA (Fund for Population Activities) Multilateral Development Banks - lend and grant: The World Bank - The World Bank: created in 1944 with the International Monetary Fund to give loans to low-income countries and NGOs. Two goals - end poverty by decreasing percentage of people making less than $1.90/day AND promote shared prosperity by fostering the income growth of the bottom 40% for every country, Asian Development Bank, Inter-American Development Bank Bilateral Agencies - work directly with developing countries: USAID, Canadian IDA, Dutch Development program, Danish International Development Agency Foundations: The Rockefeller Foundation, The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation often for-profit companies) Non-governmental organizations (NGOs): Save the Children, Doctors Without Borders
1What is the difference between annual and perennial plants/crops?
Annual: plants/crops that last for one season, but they often bloom continuously and can be planted at any time Perennial: return season after season without needing to be replanted, but compared to annual plants, bloom for a shorter duration and can only be planted in the spring or fall. For feeding the large global population, while doing so sustainably, perennials are better as they grow back year after year, they are associated with reduced soil and water erosion, maintain the soil better/have better soil stability, and can make water more available to other plants, etc.
What is the difference between transgenic and gene edited crops? What about biofortified crops?
Biofortification - the process of increasing nutritional value of crops consumed by people/animals/etc. Biofortified crops - nutritionally enhanced crops that offer specific nutrients or nutrients with increased bioavailability Genetic engineering - the process of using recombinant DNA technology to alter the genetic make-up of an organism - Transgenic breeding: using recombinant DNA technology by introducing a complete gene/foreign gene into crops to improve it - Gene editing - is different because instead of introducing foreign DNA into the crop's genome small, targeted changes are made in the DNA of a crop. Unlike transgenic breeding, the DNA is modified or replaced in the genome at a particular location without disturbing the rest of the genome. - Are genome less health... no Conventional breeding - the process of creating new varieties of crops by using older techniques and/pr natural processes to breed crops
Why are data important for studying public health?
Can help us find global health problems as well as identify trends and at-risk populations. Can tell us if public health interventions/policies are working or not. Can be misleading! Source and quality of the data matters evidenced-based is important. Using scientific evidence and data to inform global health practices as well as determine which interventions work are effective. Those who want/have careers in global health can benefit from building skills in quantitative literacy, including data interpretation and analysis. Dietary contribution is not well-documented in the less-developed world. Important to better understand the things we have done to better prepare for the future.
1How are CO2 levels involved in climate change and agriculture? What will happen to the crop AND crop yields with increased temperatures?
Climate change in increasing temperature has caused reduced yields of wheat, rice, maize, and soybeans in the tropics/subtropics. There is approximately -10% per 1-degree Celsius warming. There is a reduced nutritional content, for example protein in wheat and rice and increased disease transmission rates. There is a loss of water stored in snowpack and glaciers which has reduced duration of ricer supplied water. Carbon-dioxide concentrations hit their highest level in 4 million years. Increasing temperature over the next 50 years will cause decreases in yield grain filling, spikelet fertility and increased water stress and respiration. Due to increased/rising temperatures, there will be decreases in crop yield, which may disproportionately affect the poor living in developing countries that rely on agriculture. The increase in CO2 may also cause a decrease in the nutritional quality of crops as well.
In class, there were multiple instances discussed in terms of the impact COVID-19 had on various aspects of global health. Describe them in terms of food security/insecurity, farmers, developing vs developed countries, markers of climate change, etc.
During the COVID19 pandemic, poverty continued to rise which only meant that food insecurity also continued to rise. This was not just the case in developing countries; in all countries, people were losing their jobs and sources of income which meant less access to food. Farmers had less access to food for their animals, supplies, machinery, lost distribution options (markets closing, supply chain shortages, etc.) One POSITIVE thing that was seen during the COVID19 pandemic was that for the first time in years, CO2 emissions decreased globally. >70% of respondents reported difficulties in obtaining agricultural inputs (seeds, fertilizers). 90% of surveyed farmers reported scarcity of labor or machinery for harvesting. 60% of farmers reported increases in the marketing cost of rice due to higher transportation costs and limited operation of markets. Covid-19 imperils one of the greatest achievements of recent decades - the studding reduction in global poverty
Pick at least 3 pairs of the following terms and give an example how they are connected (may be from notes or just made up scenario)
Height -> Socioeconomic status: Height, which is an indicator of investments in human capital made during childhood, is also related to educational attainment. There was a powerful association between height and wages in Brazil. Taller men earn more. Height -> Education: Taller end tend to be better educated in both USA and Brazil; the correlation is substantially larger in Brazil. Stunting is a much-used indicator and has lasting effects. Education -> Fertility: There is a 20-year lag between changes in education and changes in fertility. Falling birth rates, when accompanied by rising literacy, can help kick-start growth. Lower fertility can start a virtuous cycle in which families with fewer children can invest more into educating them. Low SES results in lower education which can lead to lower income and poor hygiene practices and increase risk of disease It can also be associated with poor labor conditions and pesticide exposure Low SES is often associated with low status on social hierarchy which can lead to general lack of well-being and poor health. Increased risk of infant deaths leads to higher fertility, lower per-child investment, less schooling and lower education Poor childhood growth leas to lower intensity labor which leads to lower productivity. Those who are wealthier often have better more access to education. The more educated you are, the more you will be able to make better life choices and have healthier habits, both of which affects long term health.
"A bit of meat, a lot of veg- the flexitarian diet to feed 10bn" -(BBC article)- [Dr. Pixley, Lecture 4] What was the "ideal" diet that was discussed proposed by the EAT Lancet Commission? Who makes up the EAT Lancet Commission? What was the researchers' aim and what 4 specific things did they consider while designing the diet? What is their stance on meat?
Ideal Diet · Nuts - 50g a day · Beans, chickpease, lentils and other legumes - 75g a day · Fish - 28g a day · Eggs - 13g a day · Meat - 14g a day of red meat and 29g of chicken · Carbs - whole grains like bread and rice 232g a day and 50g a day of starchy vegetables · Dairy - 250g (the equivalent of one glass of milk) · Vegetables - 300g · Fruit - 200g · The diet has room for 31g of sugar and about 50g worth of oils like olive oil EAT Lancet Commission · Group of 37 scientists from around the world. Mix of experts from farming to climate change to nutrition. Took two years to come up with their findings which have been published in the Lancet. 4 Specific Things · Minimize greenhouse gas emissions · Preventing any species from going extinct · Having no expansion of farmland · Preserving water Stance on Meat · Unclear whether a vegan diet was the healthiest option A burger a week or a large steak a month
Who was the founder of epidemiology and what disease led to his discovery?
John Snow: cholera outbreak in London. Mapped cases using dot map and traced that outbreak was due to contaminated public water pump.
KERALA, INDIA: CASE STUDY- [Dr. Tan, Lecture 1] What was the main message of this article? How was Kerala state so successful and what can we learn from it?
Kerala state has produced one of the best health indicators in India despite their low-income levels. They did so by providing free primary and secondary education and gave access to health care to all through extensive network of health centers. Kerala focused on education and healthcare by targeting the most vulnerable groups and applying community-based solutions. These areas made strong improvements despite low income in the state. Kerala can provide a blueprint for other governments looking to efficiently increase quality of life for their citizens.
Each graph represents a country. Describe what these graphs show in terms of momentum, fertility, and replacement rate
Left: large increase in women in childbearing years, even if fertility remains constant, population will increase Middle: Fertility rates are declining leading there to be fewer women of childbearing age. In transition. Right: Lower replacement rate, a declining population.
Why are horticulture crops important in terms of global health? How do they compare to other food options in terms of nutrition/cost/etc.?
Many crops and few researchers present future challenges such as challenging biology and there being little global focus. Economic value high but poorly documented. The nutritional value is high but poorly documented. Nutritional value is high, many opportunities for improvement and of great global impact improving flavor, availability, and convenience more important. High value small scale usually are not staple crops value is sometimes higher than staple crops. Grown for human consumption, NOT feeding animals. Often sold fresh = short shelf-life. Improving horticulture crops includes consideration of the consumers' and the farmers/growers' priorities. (consumers = nutritional value, quality and TASTE; Producers = economic value and productivity)
What types of negative effects on human health can come from alleviating poverty? (Hint- two main things)
May reduce human fertility rates because wealth affords some financial security and decreased dependence on children for support in old age and more women will participate in the work force and may elect to have fewer children. Alleviating poverty also will mean committing more land to agriculture which can cause changes in the structure of ecosystems and ultimately leading to loss of ecosystem services.
DALY (Disability Adjusted Life Year)
Measure of premature deaths and losses due to illness and disabilities in a population
What is CIMMYT? What is their mission/research goals? Who started it?
Mission: Maize and wheat science for improved livelihoods started by Norman Borlaug An international organization with 22 offices worldwide, Member of the CGIAR (Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research), headquartered in Mexico, employs more than 220 scientists from 50 nations. International organization that has developed over half of the maize varieties in the developing world. Main focuses are conservation/sustainable agriculture, especially in terms of maize and wheat biodiversity, plant breeding aimed at reducing yield gaps and increasing yield potential, research development. Areas of research: sustainable intensification of crops, wheat/maize biodiversity, genetic resources, integrated development, and socioeconomics
HALE (Health-Adjusted Life Expectancy)
Number of years to be lived in the equivalent of good health
"Ester Duflo: Social Experiments to Fight Poverty"- [Dr. Suri, Lecture 6] Who is Ester Duflo? What is her research focus/what does she study? Why is her research important?
Professor of Economics at MIT (Poverty Action Lab). Recently won Nobel Prize in Economics for her research. Assesses different ways to fight poverty. Investigates cost-effectiveness of various programs. Also, produces evidence around effectiveness of global health programs. FBA is a French-American economist who is a professor of Poverty Alleviation and Development Economics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She is the co-founder and co-director of the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab, which was established in 2003
Define public health and global health and describe the differences between them
Public Health - Focus is on the population and public service while emphasizing disease prevention and health promotion for communities - When you see the word "public" it means people Global Public Health is about the health of people Global Health - Transcends national boundaries - Encompasses more than just the health of people but also the interconnected health of people, animals, environment, and planetary health - Although the bottom line is health people, the One Health Concept recognizes that the health of people is connected to the health of animals and the environment
What are some ways to measure epidemiological data? Define and compare the Prevalence and Incidence of a disease.
Qualitative/quantitative data Morbidity = illness or disability in a person or population Mortality (rate) = deaths in a population during a period Correlations = when cause and effect seem to be related, but correlation does not equal causation Prevalence = number of total disease cases at present point in time (how many people are obese), what's in the bathtub Incidence = number of new disease cases in a specified period (how many people as of this year) what's being put in the bathtub Examples: 1. 35,000 new cases of ischemic heart disease = incidence 2. A recent study concluded that 76% of Americans were considered obese in 2020 = prevalence 3. Researchers followed a population of 1,500 people at risk for heart disease for a 4-year period and reported that during that time, 312 people developed heart disease = incidence
Describe how plants can be sources of vitamin A if they do not specifically contain vitamin A molecules (retinol) like meat products do? What are some examples of fruits and vegetables that are good sources of vitamin A?
Some fruits and vegetables are essential sources of vitamin A due to the provitamin A carotenoids that they contain. Carotenoids are phytonutrients that give plants their red, orange, and yellow colors (green leafy veggies too). Some of them, when you eat them, get broken into retinol in your stomach. Examples of fruits/veggies high in vitamin A include spinach, orange sweet potatoes, carrots, mangoes, etc. To make fruits and vegetables a better source of vitamin A you can improve the productivity of crops that provide vitamin A by improving the yield for growers and improving post-harvest long-term storage. It also involves finding crop varieties already in production that are better sources of vitamin A and to genetically increase provitamin A carotene content. Carrots, sweet potatoes, and spinach have good sources of vitamin A.
Describe who Norman Borlaug was, and his role in global health issues. What was the Green Revolution? How was he involved?
Started the Green Revolution. Saw agriculture as one component contributing to the total economic development and well-being of all people. Challenged young people to be effective leaders to help convert potential into real benefits for humankind and believed that agricultural productivity and sustainability must BOTH be increased. Won Nobel Prize for Peace in 1970 for it. Turned pessimism into optimism. The prize shall be made to the person "who, during the preceding year, shall have conferred the greatest benefit to mankind. This year the Nobel Committee. Has awarded Nobel's Peace Prize to a scientist, Dr. Norman Ernest Borlaug, because more than any other single person of this age he has helped to provide bread for a hungry world". In his acceptance speech... Dr. Borlaug expressed: I've worked with wheat, but wheat is merely a catalyst. A part of the picture I'm interested in the total economic development in all countries and to Raise the standard of living... Borlaug's 1969 Prophecy - the seriousness or magnitude of the world food problem should not be underestimated.
Momentum
Tendency for a population to continue to grow even after fertility falls to replacement level
How do we even know climate change exists? What evidence do we have/patterns are we following?
The Earth has warmed about 0.85 degrees-Celsius in the past 100 years. Radioactive forcing is a measure of the influence a factor (such as greenhouse gas emissions) has in changing the global balance of incoming and outgoing energy. This assessment concludes, based on external evidence, that is is extremely likely that human activities, especially emissions of greenhouse gases, are the dominant cause of the observed warming since the mid-20th century. Scientists' prediction may not be 100% certain, but most of the evidence/analyses have shown a very high probability to the occurrence of large global climate changes, especially rising temperature. Recent droughts and heat waves have shown devastating effects on both agricultures and human populations and are expected to be common by 2090.
What are the Sustainable Development Goals? How did they come about? What is their purpose? What did they replace? Who started them?
The Sustainable Development Goals or Global Goals are a collection of 17 interlinked global goals designed to be a "shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future" (sustainability). The SDGs were set up in 2015 by the United Nations General Assembly that was intended to be a replacement of the Millennium Development Goals in 2000. They are intended to be achieved by 2030.
How should the issue of overpopulation be addressed? How are fertility and momentum involved? What are the current global trends of fertility? How is fertility related to poverty?
The issue lies in the fact that even if fertility falls to replacement level, there is a tendency for populations to continue growing. Though fertility is complicated issue to address. need to level off replacement rate. If fertility stays higher than replacement rate, population will still grow. Momentum - size of hypothetical stationery population that is based on projecting current population with replacement fertility, zero net migration, and current death rates. Cannot directly impact momentum but can target fertility. Even small differences in fertility rate can have large differences in population projections/total numbers. As a global trend, fertility rates have declined, but it remains above replacement rate. The issue CAN be addresses through fertility by informing women/families that it may be beneficial to have fewer children, etc. Once you get to the more developed part - the demographic transition starts to level off. There's only so much you can do to make people live longer.
Infant Mortality Rate
The number of deaths of infants under age 1 per 1,000 life births given in a year [(deaths < 1 year of age) / (live births)] X 1000
Urbanization
The population shift from rural to urban areas, the corresponding decrease in the proportion of people living in rural areas, and the ways in which societies adapt to this change
Under 5 Mortality Rate
The probability that a newborn baby will die before reaching age five, expressed as a number per 1000 live births (Zamia = 61/1000; Singapore = 2/1000); US = 6/1000)
Global Health
The study, research and practice on health issues that transcend national or socioeconomic boundaries with an emphasis on equity in health. Encompasses more than just the health of people but also the interconnected health of people, animals, environment, and planetary health
Hunger
The uneasy of painful sensation caused by a lack of food. The recurrent and involuntary lack of access to food
Describe the "State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2020" article Dr. Pixley discussed in class. What were they the goals of the study/what were they looking at? What did they find?
This was a study discussed by Dr. Pixley that estimated costs of three different diets. The question the authors asked was "if you went to an average market in any country, how much would it cost to obtain a diet that satisfies dietary guidelines/energy requirements/nutrient requirements and how many people would be able to afford those diets? Three diets used to estimate cost: Calorie adequacy (energy requirements); Nutrient adequacy, Starches Concluded that it is cheapest to consume a diet of starchy staple foods to meet energy needs, followed by meeting nutrient requirements, with a diet meeting recommended guidelines costing the most. Healthy diets are more expensive than the international poverty line. 3 billion people lack the income to even purchase the lowest cost healthy diet that is recommended by their governments. Discusses how undernourishment and poverty rates generally correlate at the country level, albeit with some exceptions. Questioning whether wealth improves nutrition or poverty breeds undernutrition. Shows the prevalence of undernourishment for poverty headcount ratio at $1.25/day.
Some say that in order to adjust for monetary losses/expenditures, we should just increase food prices. Why isn't this the best idea?
Those from poor communities can't afford the food prices and won't be able to support their families. Sudden increases in food prices have often and historically been correlated with social unrest. Deaths have even occurred in several countries. On average, a family in the US spends a smaller portion of their disposable income on food, but many of the world's poor spend a relatively large amount of their income on food and any change in price may cause many families problems. With climate change and more frequent extreme weather, there may be more frequent food price spikes and social unrest.
Fertility
Total number of children a woman would have in her reproductive years
Describe a few examples of how wealth and health are related. (Who has better health care, wealthier/poorer/healthier/etc.? Who has more access to better food? Etc.)
Usually - the trend is that the more wealth, the better health: those who are wealthier tend to have access to better, more nutritional food. Those who do not have a lot of money or are in food insecure communities are often unable to have the same level of health and nutrition. Healthier people tend to earn higher incomes, generally have better access to nutritious diets and are often better nourished. Though this is most often the case, it was also mentioned how those of higher wealth may not be the healthiest because they may face eating too much, still make poor food choices. Poverty often results in diminished access to sanitary living conditions, limits work options to jobs with greater associated health risks. May result in reduced access to education about health issues and often results in an over-reliance on staple food grains and compromised nutrition.
What are horticulture crops and what are some features? What are some examples?
Vegetables, fruits, nuts, ornamental crops; high value, small scale; usually not staples; food crops, not feed crops; often sold fresh (not processed or preserved); definition varies across growing areas (potatoes, sweet potatoes, beans, beans, peanuts, bananas/plantain); many crops not grown widely in the US (coffee, tea, olives, bananas); some known only in local areas, indigenous Phytonutrients = nutrients that come from plants [example - carotenoids!] Such as carrots, onions, broccoli, oranges, lettuce, melons
"Food Security: The Challenge of Feeding 9 Billion People" - Godfray et al- [Dr. Pixley, Lecture 3] Dr. Pixley emphasized 5 key steps necessary to feed >9 billion people, which are also discussed extensively by Godfray et al. Use the lecture slides and the article to list and briefly describe them.
Your Panda Was Doing Acrobatics 1. Closing the yield gap - would dramatically increase the supply of food closing the yield gap by 50% which is enough to meet the basic needs of ~850 million people 2. Increasing production limits - theoretical limits for maximum yield for livestock rearing, varieties could be provided with more irrigation and fertilizer without the risk of major crop loss 3. Reducing Waste - public investment in transport infrastructure would reduce spoilage, better-functioning markets can increase efficiency, education and extension services, continuing research, and improved technology 4. Changing Diets - environmental impact on meat consumed, substantial proportion that is grass-fed, reducing consumption of meat, need more well-balanced diets rich in grains and other vegetable products meat in moderation 5. Expanding Aquaculture - gains can come from better stock selection, larger-scale production technologies, culture of a wider range of species, requires a financing system capable of providing working capital fish are plentiful and cheap Closing yield gaps, increasing yield potential, reducing waste, changing diets, expanding aquaculture
Why is cooperation important in global health? How is data sharing involved and why is it important in Global Health?
- Efforts are best achieved in terms of global health when those involved actively cooperate o Like many other situations, more can be accomplished, can have a greater impact working together rather than individuals - Dr. Tan mentioned in lecture that one component that is extremely important for effectively working together is sharing data o This is becoming the norm that research data (unidentified) be made available if requested so that other researchers can perform something called secondary analyses. o Example: If we published a paper that was based on data which was obtained through funding
"Categorization of Countries" - [Dr. Tan, Lecture 1] What are they ways discussed in the assigned video about how countries are categorized (assigned with Dr. Tan's first lecture)? What are some pros/cons? How were they created/who used them?
- First World/Third World - used during the Cold World first by Alfred Sauvy in a French news magazine o First World: US, Western Europe, and their allies (still commonly used) o Second World: Soviet Union China, Cuba, and their allies (Not really used anymore) o Third world: Everyone else (Sometimes take offense to this putting them in last place) - Developed/Developing (Used by UN and WTO, commonly used with no official definition) o Developing isn't linear o Developed countries still have work to do - Global North and Global South o Geographic generalization based on many poorer countries being in the southern hemisphere o Does not fit all countries and does not allow for changes in economies o The Brandt Line in 1980 divided the world into the Rich North and the Poor South - Western Countries o Many definitions, but generally refers to western Europe and countries whose populations are its descendants (US is included and Australia) - Income (Used by World Bank and World Health Organization) o Low income, lower middle income, upper middle income, high income o A country's income is difficult to calculate as is its population, and doesn't factor in wealth distribution - Human Development Index (used by United Nations Development Program) o Looks at both economic and quality of life factors o Four categories: very high, high, medium, low - Other Terms o Low resource or resource poor (more inclusive) o Advanced economies, emerging economies, developing or frontier economies ~IMF and investment firms use this o Industrialized, non-industrialized - Newly industrialized (Every country has some form) o Fat/lean ~Lean is innovative out of necessity Fat countries have more resources than they need and are wasteful
List all of the SDG's and give a BRIEF description of them
1. No poverty - end poverty in all its forms everywhere 2. Zero hunger - end hunger, achieve food security and improve nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture 3. Good health and well-being - ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages 4. Quality education - ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all 5. Gender equality - achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls 6. Clean water and sanitation - ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all 7. Affordable and clean energy - ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all 8. Decent work and economic health - promote sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all 9. Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure - Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive sustainable industrialization, and foster innovation 10. Reduced Inequalities - reduce inequality within and among countries 11. Sustainable cities and communities - make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable 12. Responsible Consumption and Production - ensure sustainably consumption and production patterns 13. Climate Action - take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts 14. Life Below water - conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas, and marine resources for sustainable development 15. Life on Land - Protect, restore, and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reserve land degradation and halt biodiversity loss 16. Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions - promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, produce access to justice for all and build effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions at all levels 17. Partnerships for the Goals - strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development
"Food Security: The Challenge of Feeding 9 Billion People"- Joffe (2007)- [Dr. Pixley, Lecture 2] What was the main idea of this paper? What solution(s) was/were proposed by the author? According to Joffe (2007), what are the 3 parts of the 'self-reinforcing cycle'?
3 parts of the self-reinforcing cycle: Nutrition, Wealth, and Health The main idea of this paper is to discuss the wide range of solutions as to how to feed 9 billion people. There is simple solution, a broad range of options tempered by the enormous challenges of making food production sustainable while controlling greenhouse gas emission and conserving dwindling water supplies, as well as meeting the Millennium Development Goal of ending hunger. Must avoid the temptation to further sacrifice Earth's already hugely depleted biodiversity for easy gain in food production. bigger brains, better tools, more food
