Lecture 9 Material

World average consumption

~2,800 Cal/day/person

Relationship between a country’s GDP (gross domestic pay) and food availability in that country

• Not a straight line

• A country’s GDP or economic wealth does not have a direct relationship with food availability

• Means that a high economic wealth (GDP) doesn’t necessarily mean a high

Other factors affecting food availability in countries

• Agricultural productivity

• Trade policies

• Political stability and governance

• Climate and natural resources

• Distribution systems and inequality

The big three staple crops worldwide

• Wheat

• Maize

• Rice

What does the U.S. eat?

Predominately wheat and corn

What does the Democratic Republic of Congo eat?

Mainly cassava and corn

What do the dominant staple crops have in common in different regions?

Diets vary but cereal grains dominate source of Calories

How do diets shift as countries become more developed?

Diets increased in rice, meats, milk and dairy products, fats and oils (Japan as an example)

What is the relationship between a country's wealth and reliance on starchy staples?

The higher the GDP (economic wealth) per capita of a country, the lower the percentage of starchy staples in the diet

• You have a more varied diet if you live in the a wealthy country

How has intake of fat and fiber changed with the advent of agriculture and the industrial revolution?

Fat has increased and fiber has decreased

How has the increased intake of sugar and salt in our western diet negatively influenced health?

• Heart diseases, strokes, diabetes, and cancer kill >60% of Europeans and Americans. These diseases are rare in traditional societies.

• The Western diet = a high caloric, low fiber, high salt, fatty diet with a high intake of simple sugars; low physical activity; high prevalence of obesity; often includes smoking and alcohol

• 1/3 of Americans are obese, another 1/3 are overweight