Feeding the People of the World

Chapter 9.1

Nutrition• Nutrition is the process by which organisms

use food to perform their life activities.• Nutrients – food chemicals necessary for

life.• Metabolism – the breaking down of food for

nutrients. Makes animals heterotrophic• Malnutrition – condition resulting from

consuming too few nutrients (even though caloric intake may be enough – Supersize Me)

Why is it so difficult to feed the world’s population?

• Humans need 3 major nutrient groups and many minor nutrients, vitamins and minerals to survive and be healthy.

• Major nutrient groups include:– Carbohydates – sugars and starches – energy and

digestive health– Proteins – made of amino acids – build and

maintain body structures, production of hormones.

– Lipids – fats, oils, waxes, steroids – cell membranes, hormones, insulation, energy storage

Related disease in humans:Carbohydrate Deficiency

• Carbohydrate deficiency can cause hypoglycemia – low blood sugar. Cells shut down.

Lipid Deficiency in Humans

1. Dry skin.2. Tremors of the hands, especially in the elderly and alcoholics.3. Most important is the development of prostaglandin deficiencies, for which fatty acids are the precursors. This may be responsible for an inability to control blood pressure, the inability to conceive, inability to carry a fetus to full term, and the inability to initiate labor.

Kwashiorkor

• Kwashiorkor is a type of malnutrition with controversial causes, but it is commonly believed to be caused by insufficient protein intake. It usually affects children aged 1–4 years, although it also occurs in older children and adults.

Important Inorganic Substances

• Calcium – growth and maintanence of bones

• Salt (NaCl) – conduction of nerve impulses.• Iron – Binding oxygen in blood.• Phosphorus – essential to ATP.• Silica – Diatom cell walls. Structure of

some sponges.• Iodine – makes of the hormone that

regulates the thyroid.

Related diseases in humans:

• Iron is needed by the blood and iron deficiency leads to anemia and various other symptoms.

• Iodine deficiency leads to goiter, but is less common in industrialized nations due to the addition of iodine to table salt.

• Calcium deficiency or at least an inadequate intake of calcium can be implicated in osteoporosis and other diseases.

Vitamins

Vitamins help enzymes function.• Vitamin C – prevents scurvy• Vitamin D – healthy bone growth• Vitamin A – important to bones and

teeth and protects against cold and flu

• Vitamin K – clotting of blood

Water

• Makes up most of the body.• Human body is 67%• Makes up a large portion of lymph, tears,

sweat, blood plasma. Transports dissolved and suspended substances.

Related disease in humans:• Dehydration can cause heat stroke and

eventual heart failure, thickening of the blood to a gel-like state.

The Green Revolution

• Allowed us to increase crop yields, but also led to a population increase.

• We are now approaching our limits of providing food for the people

• Many subsistence farmers can barely survive because they cannot afford the cost of modern machinery and chemicals.

Why do people go hungry?

• Food production is not evenly divided amongst the world’s population.

• Transporting food can be difficult and expensive (war’s may also prevent this)

• Droughts can cause crop failure resulting in wide-spread famine.

2008 – The Year of Global Food Crisis

• 2008 was announced as the year of global food crisis

• The Sunday Herald described

the world’s food situation as:

“The Biggest Crisis of the 21st Century”

“The Biggest Crisis of the 21st Century” • Millions of people around the

world are starving because of food scarcity and high prices on staple food such as grain, rice, soya beans, and maize

• In 2008 – prices on these staples increased dramatically

• Many developing countries today are facing a food crisis and all of them will need help to deal with this crisis:– Many of these countries are in

Africa, Asia, and South-America

A Global Food Shortage?• Maybe - in the future!

• The world’s population is increasing

• It is estimated that by 2050 – the world’s population will be around 9 billion people

• In order to feed the growing population – the world needs to double its production of food by 2050

• If it fails to do so - millions of people will starve

What Are Some of the Causes Behind the Global Food Crisis?

1. The World’s Population Is Increasing

2. People are fleeing the countryside and leaving farming – Urbanization of Societies

Prior to year 2000, prices on corn, rice and grain were unusually low

As a result, many farmers, especially in the developing countries such as China, Indian and Africa, were unable to handle their farming debts and/or make a living off their crop-growing land

Trends in Urbanization

3. Global Warming / Climate Change??

• According to a majority of the world’s climate scientists, higher temperatures caused by global warming will result in an increase of droughts and flooding around the world

• Vast areas of farmland might dry up or be flooded, leaving it useless for farming and the growing of food

• According to the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), a one-metre rise in sea-level over the next 100 years might flood almost 1/3 of the world’s crop-growing land

• Droughts and floodings will destroy crops and crop-growing land.

• This might in turn lead to a serious food shortage worldwide.

• As a result, the world’s stocks of grain, rice, corn and other staple foods will be greatly reduced and millions of people will starve.

• According to the United Nations, an area of fertile soil the size of Ukraine is lost every year because of drought, deforestation and climate changes.

4. The Production of Biofuels • Land and crops that were

formally used to grow food, now grow corn for biofuels.

• Less food growing = less food for the population

5. Natural DisastersHurricanes, Tornadoes, Tsunamies, Droughts, Floods, etc.

The Japanese earthquake and resulting tsunami made much farming land radioactive.

6. Raising crops to feed cattle and poultry

• People get more energy and nutrients from plant material than from meat.

• A meat-eating lifestyle of less efficient.

7. Food prices continue to rise

• Cheaper food (fast food) is more economical, but very often unhealthy and high in calories.

Meat Consumption in China

Food Prices 2007-2009

Future Prospects• According to experts it is possible for

the world to feed itself but it depends on how we are growing food

• Maybe we, here in Norway, might have to reconsider our dependency on our import of staple food such as grain and consider growing our own food to a much greater extent than we do today

• Perhaps we even might have to use our well-trimmed gardens and lawns to grow potatoes and other vegetables, as people did in this country during WWII