SASS EGeog Food Gateway 1

Subject: Geography Topic: Food Resources Gateway 1: How and why have food consumption patterns changed since the 1960s? _____________________________________________________________________________________ How do food consumption patterns vary between DCs and LDCs over time? • Food: Any nutritious substance consumed by the body • Global food consumption patterns vary over time between: – Developed countries (DCs) – Less developed countries (LDCs) ● Food consumption patterns vary in terms of: – Indicators of food consumption – Changing food preferences Developed countries (DCs) and less developed countries (LDCs) • Classified according to their levels of developments based on a combination of indicators: – Economic indicators o Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita o Employment opportunity – Social indicators o Adult literacy rate o Life expectancy Economic indicators Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita Employment opportunity • The total value of all final goods and services produced by a country in a given year divided by the total population. • The higher the GDP per capita, the more developed a country is likely to be. • Countries with high GDP usually have a large number of productive industries coupled with a well-developed service industry (i.e. schools, hospitals). • The availability of jobs in a country. • More employment opportunities in a country will result in more jobs for the local population. • When people are employed, they will have an income. Thus, their standard of living will improve. Social indicators Adult literacy rate Life expectancy • Measures the percentage of those aged 15 and above who can read and write a short, simple statement on their everyday life. • Countries with a high literacy rate tend to generate more professionals who can contribute their skills and expertise in driving the country’s economy. • The higher the adult literacy rate, the more developed a country is. • Refers to the average number of years a person born in a country is expected to live • Influenced by the level and quality of health care, water, sanitation, food supply and living conditions in a country. • An area affected by war, disease, and poverty generally results in • its local population having a lower life expectancy.

● Developed countries (DCs) are countries that rank high across the development indicators mentioned. Example: Australia, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, USA ● Less developed countries (LDCs) are countries that rank low or moderate across many or all of the indicators mentioned. Example: Bangladesh, Brazil, Indonesia, Uganda, Myanmar, Cambodia • Countries in either classification are not homogenous, but are different in areas such as: – Scientific and technical capabilities – Economic structure – Social structure – Inequalities of income and wealth • High GDP countries are often, but not always, classified as DCs and low GDP countries are often classified as LDCs Indicators of food