Transcript 11-9-hunger

TODAY
• Synergy between nutrition and disease
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continued
Especially vulnerable populations
Four faces of hunger
Global Hunger
© T. M. Whitmore
Questions?
• Human Nutrition
© T. M. Whitmore
Synergy: nutrition and disease
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Poor nutrition (protein-calorie or other
nutrient shortages) => reduced ability to fend
off new infections or makes existing ones
more severe
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Diseases interfere with nutrient absorption
and/or actively deplete nutrients from our
bodies
© T. M. Whitmore
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How poor nutrition => disease
Reduction in the body's innate immunities
(that react to general patterns of proteins in
pathogens)
Reduction in ability to generate acquired
immunities - the specific immunities one
acquires to a particular disease pathogen
© T. M. Whitmore
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How disease => poor nutrition
Most infections interfere with the body's
ability to absorb nutrition and/or actively
deplete nutrients
Predominantly diarrheas, but also intestinal
parasites, cholera, & various types of
dysentery (1.8 billion cases/yr of infant
weanling GI diseases ) – oral rehydration
© T. M. Whitmore
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Especially vulnerable populations
Increased likelihood of malnutrition and more
serious consequences
Women in general
Pregnant women
Lactating women
Elderly
Children
© T. M. Whitmore
Especially vulnerable populations- children
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Malnutrition in infants and children very
problematic if timing coincides with critical
growth processes
Up to age 5 risk is greatest
Especially at weaning age (approx 2 yrs)
Due to impure water used to make weaning
foods (not sufficiently boiled due to lack of
fuel) and general low hygiene =>
Kids die from diarrheal diseases and
dehydration and malnutrition
Weaning foods are typically not nutrient-rich
enough (e.g., maize gruels)
© T. M. Whitmore
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Four Faces of Hunger I
Starvation/Famine
Widespread to complete lack of
protein/calorie nutrition
A small percentage of global hunger – perhaps
1% at risk annually
Leads to increased mortality (usually to
infectious diseases not starvation per se)
Great social disruption => increased problems
with diseases and access to food
In any famine not all starve – the well off can
buy food -- thus NOT usually only a simple
shortage
© T. M. Whitmore
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Four Faces of Hunger II
Malnutrition/Undernutrition
Seasonal or periodic P/C under-nutrition
Most serious effects on kids and special needs
adults (pregnant and lactating women, the
elderly)
Measures of undernutrition in children
Stunting - stature too short for age/sex
(adjusted for local norms) => chronic
Wasting – weight too light for age/sex
(adjusted for local norms) => acute
© T. M. Whitmore
Four Faces of Hunger III
Micro-nutrient deficiencies
• Vitamin and mineral shortages
• Sometimes called “hidden hunger”
© T. M. Whitmore
Four Faces of Hunger IV
Nutrition-depleting illnesses
• Secondary malnutrition
• Most common nutrient depleting
diseases are infant/weanling diarrheas –
5 million deaths annually world wide
© T. M. Whitmore
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Global Hunger
Global situation late 1990s
Data drawn from FAO’s SOFA report 2002
The International Food Policy Research
Institute
The concept of “food security”
© T. M. Whitmore
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Global Trajectories of Hunger I
Proportions undernourished (or food insecure)
in global south
Late 1970s ~ 28%
Late 1990s ~17%
Thus, real progress
Less progress in absolute numbers
Micro-nutrient deficiencies
Iron: 40% of global south
Iodine: 12% of global south
Vitamin A: 14% of kids in global south
© T. M. Whitmore
Global Trajectories of Hunger II
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Absolute numbers undernourished (or food
insecure)
1970s ~ 900m; 2000 ~ > 800 m
=> decrease of ~ 100m in absolute numbers
(but smaller %)
Children 1993 ~ 200 m; now ~ 175 m
World food summit target in 2015 => 400m
Current trajectory => 475-500m by 2015
© T. M. Whitmore
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Regional differences malnourished
or food insecure
Global South
Sub-Saharan Africa
E. Asia, SE Asia, & Pacific
South Asia
Latin America & Caribbean
Near East & N. Africa
Developed Economies (mostly N America)
© T. M. Whitmore
Source: FAO
Source: FAO
IFPA 2005
IFPA 2005
Source: FAO
Source: FAO
Number of malnourished children, 1993, 2010, and 2020
Source: IFPRI IMPACT simulations.
IFPA 2005
Sen’s Entitlement Concept
• Famines/malnutrition/food
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scarcity/food insecurity are NOT
caused by simple food shortages alone
(production shortfalls)
The ability of people to command or
acquire food is what is key (entitlement
shortfalls)
© T. M. Whitmore
Sen’s Entitlement Concept II
• Ways to command/acquire food
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Via capital (money or goods [e.g.,
cattle] exchanged for food)
Via income from labor/work
(exchanged for food)
Via assistance (State or NGO) (could
be money or food directly)
Via own production (requires access or
ownership of enough quality land)
Most households do not rely on a single
© T. M. Whitmore
source or type
A week’s food for family in Chad – virtually all from own production
© Peter Menzel (in Hungry Planet, 2005 Ten Speed Press)
A week’s food for family in NC – virtually all purchased
© Peter Menzel (in Hungry Planet, 2005 Ten Speed Press)
A week’s food for refugee family from Darfur, Sudan – virtually all from aid
© Peter Menzel (in Hungry Planet, 2005 Ten Speed Press)
The “Geographical Hunger Model”
• Underlying Processes
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Works at all scales
Immediate Causes
Regional/household/individual scales
Hunger Situations
Regional/household/individual scales
Direct Consequences
Regional/household/individual scales
© T. M. Whitmore
Irish “hunger” of 1846-51 an example
of Underlying Processes & background
• Surplus production and appropriation &
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resource competition
The potato
Population growth
Crop failures and subsistence crisis
throughout the nineteenth century
Racist views toward the Irish (probably
delayed help)
© T. M. Whitmore
Irish “hunger” an example of
Immediate/Proximate Causes & Processes
• Environmental Fluctuation – infection of
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potato crop with Phytophthora infestons
a fungal infection (late potato blight)
spread by the wind
Socio-Economic policies that deprived
millions of entitlements to food
Process – not a single event
© T. M. Whitmore
Irish “hunger” Process
• Blight 1845 => 40% loss and famine in
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1846
1846 => near 100% loss + severe winter
=> severe famine & disease in 1847
1847 - 1850 potato crop not blighted
but output low due to small planting
(people expected blight)
approximately 500,000 people were
evicted, many of whom died of
starvation or disease or relocated to
mismanaged and inadequate poor houses
© T. M. Whitmore
(could not pay rent)
Irish “hunger” Process II
• Eventually the English government also
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initiated relief schemes
Workhouses as centers of contagion
It was at this juncture that the Duke of
Norfolk suggested that the Irish should
substitute curry powder for the potato
and nourish themselves on curry powder
mixed with water.
© T. M. Whitmore
Irish “hunger” Process III
• Peel was replaced in office in 1846 by
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Lord John Russell and a Whig
administration dedicated to a laissezfaire policy
Charles Trevelyan, Assistant
Secretary to the Treasury under
Russell, oversaw famine relief efforts.
 a “blame the victim” mentality:
Irish were at fault for overdependence on potatoes and high
fertility (too many kids)
 The British also saw it as a “natural
disaster”: blamed it on the weather
and the potato fungus
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Wheat, oats, barley, butter, eggs,©beef
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Irish “hunger” Consequences
Starvation and disease became epidemic
More died of disease than of starvation.
Most were weakened from long
starvation when they finally succumbed
to typhus, cholera, dysentery, and
scurvy.
At least 1 million perished
1 – 2 + million emigrated (mostly to US and
England)
Population of Ireland
1850 = 6.5 m (from 8.5m 5 yrs earlier)
© T. M. Whitmore
1900 4.5 m => longer-term emigration,