Sustainable Development Goals and Nutrition
EXAM 1 STUDY GUIDE
Lecture 1 – Sustainable Development Goals (Tanumihardjo)
Key Terms
Health: The state of physical, mental, and social well-being, not just the absence of disease.
Food security: Access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food to maintain a healthy and active life.
Neonatal mortality ratio: The number of deaths of infants under 28 days of age per 1,000 live births in a given year.
International health: A branch of public health that focuses on health issues that transcend national boundaries.
Food insecurity: The state of being without reliable access to a sufficient quantity of affordable, nutritious food.
Under five mortality rate: The probability of a child born in a specific year dying before reaching the age of five, expressed per 1,000 live births.
Public health: The science of protecting and improving the health of people and their communities.
Hunger: The distress associated with a lack of food.
HALE (Health-Adjusted Life Expectancy): A measure of expected years of life spent in good health, accounting for years lived in less than good health.
Environmental health: The branch of public health that focuses on the interrelationships between people and their environment.
Infant mortality rate: The number of deaths of infants under one year of age per 1,000 live births in a given year.
DALY (Disability-Adjusted Life Year): A measure of overall disease burden expressed as the number of years lost due to illness, disability, or early death.
Global health: The health of populations in a global context; it emphasizes transnational health issues, determinants, and solutions.
Life expectancy at birth: The average number of years a newborn is expected to live, assuming that current mortality rates continue to apply.
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): A collection of 17 interlinked global goals set by the United Nations in 2015 for a better and more sustainable future.
Key Concepts
Public health code of ethics: A set of guidelines that govern the practice of public health, ensuring respect for individuals and communities.
Public health vs. medicine: Public health focuses on population-level health and prevention, while medicine deals with individual patients and treatment.
SDGs: Emphasizes interconnected areas related to health, education, and poverty alleviation.
Determinants of health: Factors that contribute to an individual's current state of health, including biology, behaviors, social environment, physical environment, and policies.
Mini-lecture 1: A brief instructional session highlighting significant introductory points in public health and sustainable development.
Kerala Case Study: Examines the successful implementation of public health strategies in Kerala, India, leading to improved health outcomes.
Lecture 2 – Agriculture, Wealth, Nutrition, and Health, Part 1 (Guest: Pixley)
Key Terms
Height (as a health indicator): Height is an important marker of nutritional status and health during childhood and adolescence.
Universal health care system: A health care system that provides health care and financial protection to all citizens without causing financial hardship.
Stunting: Reduced growth rate in human development, often used as a measure for malnutrition.
Momentum: Refers to the persistence of health patterns and trends, especially in the context of health improvements or deteriorations.
Obamacare: Informal term for the Affordable Care Act, a significant health reform policy enacted in the United States.
Total fertility rate: The average number of children that would be born to a woman over her lifetime based on current birth rates.
Single-payer health care system: A system where a single public agency handles health care financing while the delivery of care remains largely private.
Key Concepts
The relationship between wealth, education, nutrition, and health: Wealth influences education and access to nutritious food, which in turn affects health outcomes.
Joffe cycle on labor productivity, nutritional intake, and health status: A cyclical model outlining how labor productivity impacts nutritional intake and overall health status.
Interventions to impact this cycle: Strategies that can enhance nutrition and health while increasing labor productivity.
Case study on Indonesia: Examination of the effects of socioeconomic factors on health and nutrition in Indonesia.
The Affordable Care Act: Overview of this comprehensive health care reform law aimed at improving healthcare access and reducing costs.
Case study on Oaxaca, Mexico: Insights into local health and nutrition challenges within the context of Oaxaca's unique social structure.
Association between global distribution of wealth and health status: Investigates how wealth disparities influence global health outcomes.
Nutrition or fertility: Examines the connections between nutritional status and fertility rates across populations.
Population growth and food security: Discusses the implications of population growth on food production and availability.
Demographic transition model: A model that describes the population changes over time based on economic development.
Factors impacting population growth rates: A discussion on different elements that can influence birth rates and population dynamics.
Reasons for having more vs. fewer children: Explores cultural, economic, and health impacts on family size decisions.
Impact of climate change on food security: How changes in the climate affect agricultural productivity and food supply.
Lessons from past societies on what can prevent societal collapse: Insights drawn from Jared Diamond's work on factors leading to the collapse of societies.
Green Revolution and Norman Borlaug: An exploration of agricultural innovations that increased food production in the 20th century, particularly in developing countries.
Lecture 3 – Agriculture, Wealth, Nutrition, and Health, Part 2 (Guest: Pixley)
Key Terms
Yield gap: The difference between the potential yield of a crop and the actual yield achieved by farmers.
CoCA (Cost of Caloric Adequacy): A contextual measure of the cost required to obtain sufficient calories in a diet.
Defensive technologies: Agricultural technologies aimed at reducing risks or vulnerabilities in food production.
CoNA (Cost of Nutritious Adequacy): A measure of costs to achieve a diet that meets nutritional standards.
Yield enhancing technologies: Innovations designed to increase crop yields through improved genetics, farming techniques, and pest control.
CoRD (Cost of Recommended Diet): The financial resources required to adhere to recommended dietary guidelines.
Intensification: Increasing the amount of output per unit of input in agriculture.
Food price shock: Sudden and significant increases in food prices that can impact food security and access.
Aquaculture: The farming of aquatic animals and plants for food.
Biofortification: The process of increasing the nutritional value of crops through genetic modification or selective breeding.
Key Concepts
Availability of agricultural land for food production: A discussion on the limited resources and competition for land use in agriculture.
Strategies to feed 9.8 billion people: Possible approaches to feeding the growing global population, including:
Closing the yield gap: Ensuring farmers reach the potential yields for specific crops.
Increasing yield potential: Focusing on advanced agricultural technologies and practices.
Reducing waste: Minimizing food loss at all stages from farm to table.
Changing diets: Encouraging healthier eating patterns to improve food utilization.
Case study of Barbara McClintock and Katalin Kariko’s work on striga: Examination of innovative agricultural techniques to combat pests and improve crop resilience.
Case study of Women poultry producers in Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso): Insight into the role of women in agriculture and food production, focusing on poultry farming.
CIMMYT (International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center): Discusses CIMMYT's mission and research programs including:
Germplasm development for nitrogen stress tolerant and drought tolerant maize.
Maize streak virus research.
Anna Herforth study on relative affordability of CoCA, CoNA, and CoRD diets: Research findings on the cost-effectiveness of various dietary strategies.
Regions of world where calorie affordability is the biggest problem: Identification of areas with critical food affordability issues impacting nutrition.
Impact of food cost increases on balance of household expenditures: An analysis of how rising food prices affect spending on different food categories (e.g., staple foods vs. non-staple plants vs. meat & fish vs. non-food items).
Case study of provitamin A (beta-carotene) biofortification of staple crops: A detailed look at interventions to combat vitamin A deficiency through food fortification.
Case study of high beta-glucan oats: Investigating health benefits and food security implications.
Pros and cons of agriculture as an investment for poverty alleviation: Analyzing the effectiveness of agricultural investment in reducing poverty levels.
Case study of increased access to assets for female farmers in Nepal: Enabling strategies that empower women farmers and enhance food security.
Lecture 4 – SDGs, Ecosphere Health, and Sustainable Agriculture (Guest: Risso)
Key Terms
Ecosphere: The global ecosystem integrating all living beings and their relationships with each other and the physical environment.
Inputs: Resources such as labor, water, and nutrients that are essential for agricultural production.
Hypoxia: A condition in which there is insufficient oxygen in the environment, often affecting aquatic life.
Boundary: Limitations within which sustainable practices should occur to maintain health in ecosystems.
Outputs: The products generated from agriculture or biological processes in the ecosphere, including crops and waste.
Ecosystem services: Benefits provided by ecosystems to humans, such as pollination, water purification, and climate regulation.
Context: The circumstances and factors that affect ecosystem interactions and health outcomes.
Feedback loop: A system where the output of a process influences the operation of that same process.
Industrial agriculture: A form of modern farming characterized by high-input, high-output practices and the use of technology and machinery.
Components: The fundamental aspects/components that affect ecosystems, including biodiversity, soil health, and water availability.
Greenhouse effect: The trapping of the sun's warmth in the planet's lower atmosphere due to gases that cause climate change.
Agroecology: A scientific discipline that studies ecological processes applied to agriculture.
Relationships: Interactions between various components within the ecosystem that sustain life.
Eutrophication: An ecological phenomenon where water bodies become overly enriched with nutrients, leading to excessive growth of algae and depletion of oxygen.
Perennials: Plants that live for more than two years and can provide continuous yields without annual planting.
Key Concepts
SDGs most relevant to ecosphere health: Discussion on which Sustainable Development Goals directly pertain to maintaining ecosystem health.
Systems approach linking ecosphere health to population and individual health: The interconnectedness of environmental health and public health outcomes.
Feedback loops and ecosphere health: How changes in ecosystem health can impact public health and vice versa.
Reductionist vs. holistic approaches: Comparison between narrow focus strategies versus comprehensive, integrated approaches in solving health and ecological issues.
Meaning of sustainable agriculture: Exploration of the relationship between human well-being, agricultural practices, food production, and ecosystem health.
Components of ecosphere health and symptoms of lack of health: Various factors that indicate ecosystem health issues, such as climate change, pollution, soil degradation and erosion, energy consumption, and loss of biodiversity.
Industrial agriculture vs. agroecology’s impact on ecosphere health and system interactions: Comparative analysis on the benefits and drawbacks of these two agricultural practices regarding sustainability and ecosystem integrity.
Lecture 5 – Global Importance of Horticultural Crops (Guest: Simon)
Key Terms
Horticultural crops: Fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, herbs, sprouts, mushrooms, algae, flowers, seaweeds, and non-food crops such as grass and flowers.
Cold chain: A temperature-controlled supply chain essential for preserving the quality of perishable goods during transportation and storage.
Agronomic crops: Crops that are grown for agricultural purposes and are typically staple foods, such as grains.
Phytonutrients: Compounds produced by plants that contribute to health benefits, often with antioxidant properties.
Key Concepts
Relative land use and value of horticultural crops vs. agronomic (or staple) crops in the US: Assessment of how much land is used for horticultural crops compared to staples and the economic value derived from both.
Biological and infrastructure challenges for horticultural crops: Discusses obstacles to the growth and distribution of horticultural crops, including pests and lack of infrastructure.
Contributions of horticultural crops that are poorly documented: Evaluation of the significant but often overlooked benefits of horticultural crops to nutrition and health.
Examples of phytonutrients in horticultural crops: Specific instances where phytonutrient content in horticultural crops contributes to disease prevention and health benefits.
How does US intake of horticultural crops align to USDA recommendations?: Analysis of the consumption patterns of horticultural crops in relation to national dietary guidelines and whether similar trends are observed globally.
Strategies to improve horticultural crop production for global growers: Recommendations for enhancing the yield and quality of horticultural crops worldwide.
Examples of plant breeding to improve phytonutrient content of horticultural crops: Case studies illustrating successful breeding techniques aimed at increasing nutrient levels in crops.
Case study of carrot breeding to increase provitamin A carotenes and for climate tolerance: Focus on breeding initiatives for nutritional enhancement of carrots.
Attributes consumers value most for horticultural crops: Research into consumer preferences regarding aesthetics, nutrition, and taste in horticultural products.
Considerations for introducing horticultural crops with enhanced nutritional value: Discusses potential challenges and benefits of launching improved crops in markets.
Case study of interdisciplinary team needed for fruit tree improvement project and garlic, onion, and carrot improvement project in Bangladesh: Example of collaborative efforts to improve crop varieties and enhance nutritional outcomes.
Lecture 6 – Animal Source Foods, Nutrition, and Global Health (Guest: Gannon and Phiri)
Key Terms
Animal-source food (ASF): Foods that come from animals, including meat, dairy, eggs, and fish, which provide essential nutrients.
Wasted: A state where the energy intake is insufficient to ensure healthy growth and development.
Bioavailability: The proportion of a nutrient that is digested, absorbed, and utilized by the body.
Underweight: A condition resulting from inadequate nutrition, often characterized by low weight for age.
Anemia: A deficiency in the number or quality of red blood cells, often due to lack of iron or vitamin B12 in the diet.
Overweight: Achieving more body weight than is considered healthy for a given height, typically associated with excess body fat.
Stunted: A condition marked by reduced growth and development due to malnutrition, particularly in young children.
Key Concepts
SDGs most relevant to animal-source foods (ASF): Discussion of Sustainable Development Goals associated with livestock, dairy, and fish production and their contributions to food security and nutrition.
Systems-thinking frameworks relevant to food and health: Application of holistic approaches to understand the interplay between food systems and health outcomes.
Global trends in global production and consumption of ASF: Evaluation of changing patterns in the production and consumption of animal-source foods around the world.
Linkages among ASF, nutrition, and health (under and over nutrition): Discussion on how ASFs contribute to health and nutritional deficiencies or excesses globally.
Impact of ASF production on the environment and strategies to reduce impacts: Exploration of ecological consequences of ASF production and methods to mitigate them, focusing on sustainability.
Impact of ASF production on livelihoods: Analysis of how ASFs influence the economic and social well-being of communities involved in their production.
GAIN framework for assessing ASF and gaps: Use of the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition framework to evaluate the effectiveness of ASF consumption on nutrition.
FoodTank double pyramid: Represents the dual benefits of healthy food systems and sustainable agriculture, emphasizing their interconnections.
Affordability of ASF: Evaluation of the economic factors influencing the accessibility of animal-source foods to different populations.
US and global agricultural support measures for ASF: Overview of policies and programs supporting the production of animal-source foods in the US and abroad.
WHO recommendations for meat consumption: Summary of the World Health Organization's guidelines regarding meat consumption levels for health.
Case study on fish in Malawi: Analysis of the role of fish as a vital source of nutrition in Malawi and the implications for local diets and health outcomes.
Lecture 7 – What is a Healthy Diet? (Guest: Souza)
Key Terms
Health (WHO 1948): The World Health Organization’s definition of health as a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being.
Healthy Diet: A diet that promotes overall health and reduces the risk of chronic diseases, composed typically of a variety of foods in adequate amounts.
Nutrient-Dense: Foods that provide a high amount of nutrients relative to their calorie content.
US Dietary Guidelines: Recommendations for a healthy balanced diet provided by the United States Department of Agriculture.
MyPlate: A visual guide representing the ideal balance of food groups for a healthy meal.
BMI (Body Mass Index): A measurement that uses height and weight to assess whether a person has a healthy body weight.
Food Security: The condition where all people have physical, social and economic access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food.
Food Desert: Geographic areas where access to affordable and nutritious food is limited or nonexistent due to the lack of grocery stores or supermarkets.
Diet Culture: Social norms and beliefs surrounding diet, body size, and eating behaviors; often promoting unhealthy relationships with food.
Fad Diet: Popular diet plans that promise significant weight loss or health benefits but often lack nutritional balance.
Key Concepts
Health Has Multiple Dimensions: Discusses the various aspects of health including physical, mental, and social dimensions.
Healthy Diet Core: Explains the foundation and essential components of a healthy diet.
Individualization Matters: Recognition of personal dietary needs and preferences in developing healthy eating patterns.
US Dietary Guidelines History: A brief overview of the evolution of dietary recommendations in the United States.
Policy and Programs: Government initiatives implemented to promote better health through nutrition-based policies.
Obesity Epidemic: Discussing the rise in obesity rates and related health concerns due to poor dietary practices.
Why vegetables are important: The role of vegetables in nutritional intake and overall health benefits.
Food Security Challenges: Identifying and addressing barriers to ensuring food security for populations globally.
Diet Culture & Fad Diets: The impacts of societal pressures on eating behaviors and the prevalence of fad diets.
Misleading Food Marketing: Critique of the marketing of food products that may misrepresent nutritional qualities.
Practical Strategies: Suggestions on how to implement healthy eating habits in daily life.