The great population debates: how relevant are they for the 21st century?
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Two great debates--whether population growth is a problem and how to address the problem if one exists--dominated population policy discussions in the 20th century. The debate about whether pitted those who saw rapid population growth as a problem against those who believed the cries of alarm were false. The debate about how was conducted between advocates of the direct delivery of contraceptives through family planning programs and those who counseled a broader, more holistic approach. The debate about how was largely resolved by the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development at Cairo; the debate about whether remains unresolved. Environmentalists, ecologists, and physical scientists generally support the view that rapid population growth is harmful, but economists remain largely unconvinced. Contemporary declines in fertility and the end of the population crisis mentality of the mid- to late 20th century could, ironically, diminish public support for precisely those programs that have been responsible for the rapid fertility decline of the past 3 decades--programs that will be required to complete the "demographic transition" in those parts of the developing world where fertility remains very high. (+info)
Introduction. Symposium: Obesity in developing countries: biological and ecological factors.
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Over the past decade there has been an increasing concern about the impact of chronic, noncommunicable diseases on the health of developing world populations. Traditionally, major causes of illness and death in developing countries have been linked to infectious diseases and undernutrition, and these are still major public health problems in several regions of the world. But recent projections indicate that in 20 y noncommunicable diseases will account for over 60% of the disease burden and mortality in the developing world. Obesity is recognized as an underlying risk factor for many of these chronic conditions. As in developed societies, the risk for obesity in developing countries is also strongly influenced by diet and lifestyle, which are changing dramatically as a result of the economic and nutrition transition. This symposium discusses key aspects of the phenomenon of obesity in the developing world and provides some specific examples from countries facing increasing prevalence of that condition. (+info)
The nutrition transition and obesity in the developing world.
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Changes in diet and activity patterns are fueling the obesity epidemic. These rapid changes in the levels and composition of dietary and activity/inactivity patterns in transitional societies are related to a number of socioeconomic and demographic changes. Using data mainly from large nationally representative and nationwide surveys, such as the 1989, 1991, 1993 and 1997 China Health and Nutrition Surveys, in combination with comparative analysis across the regions of the world, we examine these factors. First, we show the shifts in diet and activity are consistent with the rapid changes in child and adult obesity and in some cases have been causally linked. We then provide a few examples of the rapid changes in the structure of diet and activity, in particular associated with increased income. Cross-country and in-depth analysis of the China study are used to explore these relationships. People living in urban areas consume diets distinctly different from those of their rural counterparts. One of the more profound effects is the accelerated change in the structure of diet, only partially explained by economic factors. A second is the emergence of a large proportion of families with both currently malnourished and overweight members as is shown by comparative analysis of a number of Asian and Latin American countries. (+info)
Dating Caral, a preceramic site in the Supe Valley on the central coast of Peru.
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Radiocarbon dates from the site of Caral in the Supe Valley of Peru indicate that monumental corporate architecture, urban settlement, and irrigation agriculture began in the Americas by 4090 years before the present (2627 calibrated years B.C.) to 3640 years before the present (1977 calibrated years B.C.). Caral is located 23 kilometers inland from the Pacific coast and contains a central zone of monumental, residential, and nonresidential architecture covering an area of 65 hectares. Caral is one of 18 large preceramic sites in the Supe Valley. (+info)
The modernizing Kazakhstan: a review of biomedical data.
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In order to focus the situation of Kazakhstan today in relation to the processes of modernization and transition to a market economy and to evidence their effects on the biology and health status of the population of Kazakhstan, we have reviewed recently available data for this region (1993-1999). Kazakhstan is still characterized by a pyramid shaped age distribution of its population and by a high incidence of not communicable diseases and lack of nutrient and micronutrients, especially among children. However, the population of Kazakhstan seems to be not immune to the diseases of the modernization. I.e., among women obesity is more frequent than underweight, especially in the urban areas. In rural populations the frequency of clinically relevant hypertension resulted low in the more isolated and traditionally living communities but it increased to 20% in the less isolated one. Although it is expected a strong increase of urbanized population in the next 25 years, currently, modernization is probably influencing life style and nutritional habits of almost only a minority of the inhabitants of Kazakhstan. (+info)
Smoking and passive smoking in Estonia, Lithuania and Finland. Identifying target groups of tobacco policy.
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BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to identify population groups which are the most crucial as targets for anti-tobacco action. METHODS: A comparison was made of the prevalence and patterns of smoking and passive smoking in Estonia, Finland and Lithuania. RESULTS: Total exposure to smoking, both one's own and passive smoking, was more common in two Baltic countries than in Finland. In these Baltic countries passive smoking was notably common among women. In all countries the exposure was more prevalent among the younger and less educated, but no difference emerged between urban and rural areas. CONCLUSIONS: The following target groups were identified as priorities for anti-tobacco actions: i) men of all ages in Estonia and Lithuania to stop their already established tobacco use, ii) young women in all three countries to prevent their starting a career of tobacco use and iii) young and less educated women in Estonia and Lithuania to prevent passive smoking, i.e. their exposure to environmental tobacco smoke. (+info)
Inadequate management of natural ecosystem in the Brazilian Amazon region results in the emergence and reemergence of arboviruses.
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A total of 187 different species of arboviruses and other viruses in vertebrates were identified at the Evandro Chagas Institute (IEC) from 1954 to 1998, among more than 10,000 arbovirus strains isolated from humans, hematophagous insects, and wild and sentinel vertebrates. Despite intensive studies in the Brazilian Amazon region, especially in Para State, very little is known about most of these viruses, except for information on date, time, source, and method of isolation, as well as their capacity to infect laboratory animals. This paper reviews ecological and epidemiological data and analyzes the impact of vector and host population changes on various viruses as a result of profound changes in the natural environment. Deforestation, mining, dam and highway construction, human colonization, and urbanization were the main manmade environmental changes associated with the emergence and/or reemergence of relevant arboviruses, including some known pathogens for humans. (+info)
Nutrition in transition: the changing global nutrition challenge.
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The rapid shift in the stage of nutrition towards a pattern of degenerative disease is accelerating in the developing world. Data from China, as shown by the China Health and Nutrition Survey, between 1989 and 1993, are illustrative of these shifts. For example, an increase from 22.8 to 66.6% in the proportion of adults consuming a higher-fat diet, rapid shifts in the structure of diet as income changes, and important price relationships are examples that are presented. There appears to reflect a basic shift in eating preferences, induced mainly by shifts in income, prices and food availability, but also by the modern food industry and the mass media. Furthermore, the remarkable shift in the occupations structure in lower-income countries from agricultural labour towards employment in manufacturing and services implies a reduction in energy expenditure. One consequence of the nutrition transition has been a decline in undernutrition accompanied by a rapid increase in obesity. There are marked differences between urban and rural eating patterns, particularly regarding the consumption of food prepared away from home. Other issues considered are the fetal origins hypothesis, whereby the metabolic efficiencies that served well in conditions of fetal undernutrition become maladaptive with overnutrition, leading to the development of abnormal lipid profiles, altered glucose and insulin metabolism and obesity. Furthermore, obesity and activity are closely linked with adult-onset diabetes. The shift towards a diet higher in fat and meat and lower in carbohydrates and fibre, together with the shift towards less onerous physical activity, carries unwanted nutritional and health effects. It is also clear that the causes of obesity must be viewed as environmental rather than personal or genetic. (+info)