WMST 245 SECTION 8 UNDERNUTRITION – ITS PHYSICAL, BEHAVIORAL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT EFFECTS “ The average efficiency of the human engine in Britain increased by about 53 percent between 1790 and The combined effort of the increase in dietary energy available for work, and of the increased human efficiency in transforming dietary energy into work output, appears to account for about 50 percent of the British economic growth since ” – Robert W. Fogel (winner of the Nobel Prize for Economics, 1993)

WHEN CHILDREN ARE SERIOUSLY MALNOURISHED THEIR CAPACITY FOR WORK AND A HEALTHY LIFE WILL BE SERIOUSLY COMPROMISED. THEY ARE IN DANGER OF BECOMING PART OF A CYCLE OF UNDERNUTRITION THAT CAN GO ON FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION

IN ETHIOPIA TEENAGE GIRLS BEAR CHILDREN WHO ARE BORN UNDERWEIGHT CHILDREN ARE STUNTED DURING INFANCY, AND SUFFER SEVERE SHOCKS TO THEIR SYSTEMS THESE SMALL CHILDREN START SCHOOL VERY LATE OR NOT AT ALL SMALL TEENAGERS BEAR CHILDREN WHO ARE BORN UNDERWEIGHT THE CYCLE CONTINUES

IMPACTS OF UNDERNUTRITION LABOR PRODUCTIVITY COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT REPRODUCTIVE FUNCTION INTERACTIONS WITH DISEASE LONG-TERM EFFECTS CAN NUTRITION AFFECT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT?

1. LABOR PRODUCTIVITY  PAST UNDERNUTRITION REDUCES PHYSICAL AND MENTAL PRODUCTIVITY IN THE FUTURE  TALLER PEOPLE EARN HIGHER WAGES  PRESENT UNDERNUTRITION LOWERS PHYSICAL PRODUCTIVITY NOW  DISEASE ADDS TO THE PROBLEM BECAUSE IT USES ENERGY

2. MALNUTRITION HINDERS COGNITIVE ABILITIES

3. UNDERNUTRITION AND REPRODUCTIVE FUNCTION  STILLBIRTH RATES  INFANT MORTALITY  PERINATAL MORTALITY  AGE OF MENARCHE  ADOLESCENT PREGNANCY  WEIGHT GAIN DURING PREGNANCY  ANEMIA

4. INTERACTIONS WITH DISEASE  ACUTE RESPIRATORY INFECTIONS  DIARRHEA  INTESTINAL PARASITES  INFECTIOUS DISEASES  VECTOR-BORNE DISEASES

5. LONG TERM EFFECTS  CYCLES OF UNDERNUTRITION  LIMITED EDUCATION  YOUNG MOTHERS  FOOD ALLOCATION WITHIN HOUSEHOLDS  POVERTY TRAPS

6. NUTRITION AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT  MORTALITY RATES  LIFE EXPECTANCY  NUTRITION-DISEASE INTERACTION  LABOR PRODUCTIVITY  ENERGY FOR WORK  DIETARY CHANGES  CLOTHING AND SHELTER

THE HUMAN ENGINE “ The average efficiency of the human engine in Britain increased by about 53 percent between 1790 and The combined effort of the increase in dietary energy available for work, and of the increased human efficiency in transforming dietary energy into work output, appears to account for about 50 percent of the British economic growth since ” – Robert W. Fogel

WHAT IMPROVED THE HUMAN ENGINE?  HUGE SOCIAL INVESTMENTS ( ) WITH LONG PAYOFF PERIODS  BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH  IMPROVED WATER SUPPLY  CLEAN MILK  DRAINING SWAMPS  EFFECTIVE QUARANTINE SYSTEMS  CLEANING UP SLUMS

WE’RE NOT DONE YET! “We have not yet completed the escape from hunger and premature death that began nearly three centuries ago.” - Robert W. Fogel