Food and Health

Question 1

define Food security

Answer 1

all people have physical, social and economic access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs for an active and healthy life

Question 2

who collects the data on food security

Answer 2

part of the UN
- the WHO
- the FAO (food and agricultural organisation)

Question 3

how is food security calculated

Answer 3

• affordability
• availability
• quality and safety
• sustainability and adaptability

Question 4

what are subsidies

Answer 4

payment to farmers for growing food that meets the governments needs

Question 5

what is the food pattern in sub saharan africa

Answer 5

it has the worst food security rates in the world

Question 6

Nigeria (food security case study): why does it experience food insecurity

Answer 6

• scores 107th in the world
• the north of Nigeria is a desert - lack of food availability
• the north has the Islamic group (Boko Harum) - that kidnapped many school girls - conflict
• Ukraine and Russia send 14% of all Nigeria’s grain - limiting availability and increasing food costs
• corruption -> huge inequalities of wealth (has lots of oil)

Question 7

what is the food pattern in the MENA?

Answer 7

Better food security relative to sub saharan africa

Question 8

Morocco (food security case study): why does it experience food security

Answer 8

• medium food security
• vibrant tourism
• proximity to EU for trade

Question 9

Syria (food security case study): why does it experience food security

Answer 9

• low food security
• conflict
• lack of availability

Question 10

UAE (food security case study): why does it experience food security

Answer 10

• high food security

Question 11

why is Bangladesh’s sustainability and adaptability poor

Answer 11

due to climate change, the Himalayas melt and flood Bangladesh, therefore their crops are not adapted to this

Question 12

how is the global hunger index calculated? what components? + brief description

Answer 12

• undernourishment -> deficiency of energy, protein, vitamins and minerals (EPVM) (refers to an entire population, both adults and children)
• child wasting -> low weight for height (looks at calorie intake, diet quality and utilisation)
• child stunting -> low height for age (is sensitive to the uneven distribution of food within a household)
• child mortality -> the mortality rate of children under 5, per 1000 of the population

Question 13

what is a criticism of “ child mortality under 5”

Answer 13

• children can die from many extraneous variables (disease, war)

Question 14

what is a bad score for the global hunger index

Answer 14

50+

Question 15

how is the global hunger index split up

Answer 15

• 1/3 -> undernourishment
• 1/6 -> child stunting and wasting
• 1/3 -> child mortality

Question 15

patters of the global hunger index: China

Answer 15

• East Asia -> China has seen rapid progress

Question 16

patterns of the global hunger index:
North Korea

Answer 16

poor hunger index -> isolation from global economy

Question 17

patterns of the global hunger index:
Sub-Saharan Africa

Answer 17

• especially central landlocked countries -> lack of access to the sea for maritime trade

Question 18

patterns of the global hunger index:
Middle East

Answer 18

• UAE -> extreme wealth and no food issues
• Yemen/ Somalia -> terrorist activities -> extreme food insecurity and hunger

Question 19

food security index: strengths (3)

Answer 19

• holistic and multidimensional approach -> Evaluates multiple dimensions of food security (affodability, accessability, quality and safety and sustainablility and adaptability)
• Global comparability -> uses a standardised method used by most countries for easy comparison of data, to ID countries in need
• Updated Data: The index is periodically updated to reflect current data, allowing it to adapt to changing global circumstances such as economic shifts or policy changes.

Question 20

food security index: weaknesses

Answer 20

• Data may be hard to verify and confirm in LICs and countries in conflict
• internal variation (Nigeria - North is a desert region, and has political conflict (Boko Haram). Whereas, the south has fertile and rich land) -> it doesnt show variation between food security -> it shows the country as one colour
• a valuable tool for collecting long term data on food security as it is updates periodically rather than continuously. Therefore, it cannot reflect sudden chnages in food data, ie. when a natural disaster occurs like a flash flood

Question 21

global hunger index: strengths

Answer 21

• emergency detection -ID countries in need
• Global comparability (not HIC) -> it is more targeted on countries in need
• influences policy for reducing hunger

Question 22

global hunger index: weaknesses

Answer 22

• collected overtime -> not continuously
• Internal variation (Nigeria)
• measures child mortality that may have another cause -> i.e. malaria or conflict

Question 23

what are the 5 stages in the nutrition transition

Answer 23

1. Food gathering
2. Famine
3. Receding famine
4. Degenerative diseases
5. Behavioural change

Question 24

what is stage 1, the diet and health for the Mali case study

Answer 24

Stage 1: Food gathering
Diet: Wild plant and animal-based diets, with limited energy intake.
Health: High rates of malnutrition and infections.
Mali: Traditional rural communities rely heavily on locally grown food, with undernutrition being common in rural areas.

Question 25

what is the case study for food nutrition

Answer 25

Mali

Question 26

what is stage 2, the diet and health for the Mali case study

Answer 26

stage 2: Famine
diet: Diets heavily reliant on staple crops, with little diversity and frequent food shortages.
health: High mortality, undernutrition, stunting and wasting
Mali: Large parts of Mali experience chronic food insecurity, leading to high rates of child malnutrition and vitamin deficiencies (iron, vitamin A).

Question 27

what is stage 3, the diet and health for the Mali case study

Answer 27

Stage 3: Receding famine
Diet: Increase in food availability; more diversity, but still dominated by staple foods.
Health: Lower rates of undernutrition but emerging obesity and non-communicable diseases.
Mali: Urbanisation in Mali is leading to better food access, but poverty still results in high stunting and wasting rates, particularly in children.

Question 28

what is stage 4, the diet and health for the Mali case study

Answer 28

Stage 4: Degenerative diseases
Diet: High consumption of processed, calorie-dense foods, sugar, fats, and animal products.
Health: Rise in obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and other lifestyle-related conditions.
Mali: Urban Mali is seeing increasing obesity rates, especially in women, and rising cases of hypertension and diabetes.

Question 28

what is stage 5, the diet and health for the Mali case study

Answer 28

Stage 5: Behavioural change
Diet: Shifts towards healthier diets, with more fruits, vegetables, and lower sugar and fat intake.
Health: Lower rates of obesity and chronic diseases, but undernutrition remains in vulnerable groups
Mali: Limited impact so far in Mali due to poverty and lack of health education, but efforts are being made to promote balanced diets through nutrition programs.

Question 29

what is the double health burden?

Answer 29

This refers to the simultaneous struggle against infectious diseases (still common in many developing countries) and the rising prevalence of non-communicable diseases (which tend to become more significant as a country develops).

Question 30

what stages of the nutrition table is the UK in?

Answer 30

stages 4 and 5: the U experiences a major intake of processed food, however, more people realise the importance of healthy, good-quality food

Question 31

what is the relationship between gdp and calorie intake for developed and developing countries

Answer 31

developed:
Although there is an increase in GDP, there is that not that much of an increase in calorie intake. People in HICs are moving to healthier food (meat), and decreasing the amount of cereal they eat

developing:
An increase in income means a huge increase in calorie intake. This tends to be more carbohydrates, and a slow increase of meat and diary

Question 32

what is the health-adjusted life expectancy (HALE)?

Answer 32

HALE is an indicator of the overall health in a population. It combines measures of both age and sex specific health and mortality data. It estimates the number of years left of life, dependent on the number of years lived in good health based on an average of a population. It is a measure of the quality of life and the quantity of life

Question 33

What is four observations have been made about HALE?

Answer 33

– the burden of ill health is higher in women than in men
– The burden of ill health has a bigger impact on those in early older ages, for example, 60 and 70 years old
–sensory problems and pain are the largest components of the burden of ill health
–higher socio-economic status confers a dual advantage (life expectancy and lower levels of burden of ill health)

Question 34

what is the burden of ill-health

Answer 34

the impact of a health problem on a given population, and can be measured using a variety of indicators such as mortality, morbidity or financial cost.

Question 35

what are the 3 advantages of HALE?

Answer 35

• Holistic Measure of Health:
  HALE provides a more comprehensive assessment of population health than life expectancy alone because it accounts for the quality of life, not just the quantity.
• Since HALE combines morbidity and mortality data, it helps governments and organisations prioritise healthcare resources toward improving both life expectancy and quality of life, making it ideal for planning public health policies.
• HALE can be used to compare the health status of different countries or regions more accurately, as it includes both life expectancy and the burden of disease. This makes it an essential tool for international health studies and global health strategies.

Question 36

what are the three disadvantages of HALE?

Answer 36

• Lack of reliable data on mortality and morbidity, especially from low-income countries.
• While HALE accounts for disease and disability, it may not fully capture other important health dimensions like mental health or social well-being. This could result in an incomplete picture of population health.
• Different countries or organisations may use varying methodologies to estimate years lived with illness or disability, leading to inconsistent HALE values. This can affect the comparability of HALE between regions or over time.

Question 37

explain the double health burden in Mali

Answer 37

Firstly, Mali continues to struggle with infectious diseases such as malaria, HIV/AIDS, and tuberculosis. These illnesses are widespread due to factors like limited healthcare infrastructure, poor sanitation, and lack of clean drinking water, especially in rural areas. At the same time, Mali is experiencing an increase in non-communicable diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and cancers. This rise is linked to urbanisation, changing diets, and lifestyle shifts such as less physical activity and greater tobacco use. These chronic diseases require different forms of healthcare, such as long-term management and prevention strategies.

Question 38

what are the 4 factors associated with HALE + brief description of what they mean + global patterns of each

Answer 38

• maternal mortality rates (MMR): the annual number of female deaths per 1000 live births. Global patterns: Highest MMR in sub-Saharan Africa and south Asia. Lowest in Australia, EU and Singapore
• Access to sanitation: The availability of sanitation in a population. Lack of access to sanitation in Sub-Saharan Africa has increased since 1990. 80% of global urban pop have access to sanitation whereas global rural pop only has access to 50%
• Access to health services: Availability of health facilities and infrastructure in a population, measured by the number of people per doctor per hospital. Sub-Saharan Africa face the worst access to health services with Mozambique having 50,000 people per doctor, whilst Hungary and Iceland has 280.
• Infant mortality rate (IMR): number of deaths per children under the age of 1 per 1000 live births per year. Iceland, Japan and Singapore (2%) IMR, whilst Afghanistan and Mali (100%) IMR.

Question 39

four limitations of assessing a nations health by ratio of doctors and people (a measure of availability)

Answer 39

• looks at the quantity not quality of doctors
• looks at an average and doesn’t take into account internal disparities (like in the USA you have to pay for healthcare and doctors)
• doesn’t talk about the available healthcare infrastructure and resources (i.e. lots of doctors in Gaza, but do not have proper hospitals and resources to provide a good quality treatment)
• doesn’t look at the whole scope of healthcare (mental health and access to nurses)

Question 40

why is the infant mortality rate a valuable indicator of a country’s development (a measure of outcome)

Answer 40

• reflects healthcare quality and accessibility
• indicates sanitation levels
• shows nutritional status
• links to education and awareness
• reflects government prioritisation of public health

Question 41

what is the epidemiological transition

Answer 41

Shift from infectious diseases (epidemics) to non-communicable (degenerative) diseases. The shift in disease patterns that reflect the changes in nutrition transition

Question 42

what is the dual burden of disease

Answer 42

coexistence of communicable and non-communicable diseases in LICs

Question 43

what are the 4 stages of the transition

Answer 43

stage 1 - pestilence (fatal epidemic (localised)) and famine
stage 2 - receding pandemics (global)
stage 3 - degenerative (you don’t inherit (lifestyle diseases)) and man-made diseases
stage 4 - delayed degenerative diseases

Question 44

what are the characteristics of stage 1 of the transition

Answer 44

• high mortality due to infectious diseases
• malnutrition
• poor sanitation
• epidemics
• famines
• low life expectance and limited pop growth

Question 45

what are the characteristics of stage 2 of the transition

Answer 45

• decline in infectious diseases due to improvements in sanitation
• medical care
• slightly better nutrition
• reduced pandemics
• increased life expectancy and accelerated pop growth

Question 46

what are the characteristics of stage 3 of the transition

Answer 46

• shift from infectious diseases to non-communicable diseases (NCD) as lifestyle changes increase chronic conditions
• heart disease
• cancer
• diabetes
• rise in life expectancy

Question 47

what is food insecurity

Answer 47

exists when people do not have adequate physical, social or economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food

Question 48

what is the world food programme? what is its aim? how is it funded? recent action - case study?

Answer 48

• The world’s largest humanitarian organization saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity, for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.
• aims:
• work to enhance nutrition in women and children
• support smallholder farmers in improving productivity and reducing losses
• help countries and communities prepare for and cope with climate-related shocks
• boost human capital through school feeding programmes.​
• how is it funded?: funding requirement for 2025 is US$16.9 billion to reach 123 million people., entirely funded through the voluntary contributions of donor governments, institutions, corporations and individuals.
• case study: The war in Ukraine continues to displace people, damage infrastructure, disrupt supply chains and hold back the country’s economy. A total of 5 million people (15 per cent of the population) need food and livelihood assistance.
  ​

Question 49

what is the food and agriculture organisation? what is its aim? how is it funded? recent action - case study?

Answer 49

• a specialized agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger.
• aim: to achieve food security for all and make sure that people have regular access to enough high-quality food to lead active, healthy lives.
• how is it funded: by its 195 member countries
• case study: the FAO science and innovation strategy (2022-2025) - using innovation to create more efficient, sustainable and resilient agri-systems for a better production of nutritious food

Question 50

what is the world health organisation? what is its aim? how is it funded? recent action - case study?

Answer 50

• A United Nations agency that works to improve the health and safety of everyone around the world
• aim: Aim to help everyone achieve the highest level of health
• how is it funded?: Member states​, Voluntary contributions, Philanthropic foundations
• case study: WHO certified Azerbaijan, Tajikistan, and Belixe malaria free. This highlights progress towards a malaria free future for vulnerable populations.​

Question 51

what is the Trussell trust? what is its aim? how is it funded? recent action - case study?

Answer 51

• Anti-poverty charity/ community of food banks in the UK. You can volunteer, fundraise, join campaigns and donate to
• aim: to end the need for food banks in the UK
• how is it funded: donations from individuals/ communities/ organisations, fundraising events and campaigns
• case study: 1.42 million emergency food parcels distributed in the past six months, including 508,000 parcels for children facing hunger in the UK

Question 52

what is the ‘Nothing but Nets’? What is its aim? how is it funded? recent action - case study?

Answer 52

• Provides bed nets to prevent malaria (particularly in sub-saharan Africa). To protect people for mosquito bites, therefore malaria. ​
• aim: Prevent malaria​, Raise awareness​, Save lives
• how is it funded?: Via donations from individuals and organisations to purchase and distribute. UN has funded greatly. A $10 donation provides a one-bed net to a family in need. Also, events/sponsorships with high-profile celebrities and brands.
• case study: Participated in Global Fund’s 7th replenishment conference. This helped raise funds for global health efforts e.g. malaria prevention.

Question 53

what is the UK government food strategy?

Answer 53

This food strategy focuses on longer-term measures to support a resilient, healthier, and more sustainable food system that is affordable to all, therefore reducing pressures on the cost of food. It includes measures to:
- support good quality jobs around the country
- it also sets out how we will continue to support children and families on low incomes to learn and eat healthily through various initiatives such as the Healthy Start Scheme, free school meals, breakfast clubs and the Holiday Activities and Food Programme (HAF).