BROADRICK SECONDARY SCHOOL SECONDARY 4E/5N GEOGRAPHY FOOD RESOURCES - SUGGESTED ANSWERS Name: ____________________________( ) Class: 4A_/5A1 Date: __________ Food for thought “There is only one corner of the universe you can be certain of improving, and that's your own self.” - Aldous Huxley (1894 – 1963) FIRST TOA PAYOH PRELIMS 2015 (Page 35) (b)

Study Fig. 13, which shows the global distribution of obesity in boys in percentage.

Canada Somalia USA Saudi Arabia

Mexico Ethiopia

Brazil

Australia South Africa

Fig. 13: Source: http://www.jhsph.edu/sebin/f/f/obesityprevalence.png\ Describe and explain reasons for the global distribution of obesity in boys as shown in Fig. 13. [5]   

Describe

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Teacher’s Observation - Students identifying countries/continents incorrectly. - Students identifying developed and less developed countries incorrectly. - Students did NOT quote values and data (!). YOU MUST QUOTE VALUES/DATA. - Students making sweeping statements. - Students making generalisations that all DCs would have a higher percentage of obese boys and that all LDCs would have a lower percentage of obese boys. This is NOT true. You MUST refer to data. 

Explain

More than 30% of the boys in developed countries like the USA and Australia are obese. High percentages from 29.9% to 25% are also seen in developed countries like Canada. Most less developed countries like Somalia and Ethiopia have low percentages where less than 5% of the boys are obese. Some less developed countries like Brazil and Mexico have high percentages e.g. 25% to 29.9% of the boys in Brazil suffer from obesity.

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With a higher income, families can buy greater quantities of food to consume. People can also have a greater variety of food to choose from and having more income, may choose to consume more expensive meat and dairy compared to cereals or fruits. With low income, families are limited in terms of quantity and variety. They may choose to consume meat rarely as it is expensive and may choose to consume larger amounts of cheaper cereal or vegetables instead. Less developed countries like Brazil could have high obesity rates due to low prices for processed foods which contain high amounts of salt and fat. Fresh food may be too expensive in this country, thus people consume processed foods in larger amounts.

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BROADRICK SECONDARY SCHOOL SECONDARY 4E/5N GEOGRAPHY FOOD RESOURCES - SUGGESTED ANSWERS (c) Fig. 6B shows a graph with the breakdown for the individual cost (male and female) of obesity.

Fig. 6B With reference to Fig. 6B and other studies which you have made, explain the impacts of obesity on individuals and countries. [5] Explain (How does obesity lead to the different impacts e.g. lower economic productivity) Impacts on individuals and countries With ref. to Fig. 6B & other studies 

Health problem; as obesity affects most of the body’s systems and can lead to health problems such as high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, diabetes and certain cancers

For example, the graph shows that obese people incur higher medical costs of about $1474.

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Lower economic productivity. Obesity has resulted in more workers being absent from work and taking more days of leave due to obesity related health issue leading to lower productivity. Lower productivity will lead to lower income due to inability to work as productively as before

From the graph, a female who takes sick leave loses $674. Her loss of productivity amounts to $358 and loss of salary and wages amounts to $1855

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Higher Public health expenditure which increases as a result of treating obesity related health conditions such as heart diseases and diabetes. When more people suffer from obesity related diseases, government will have to channel more funds to the health care system. This would reduce the amount of funds remaining for economic development.

Fig. 2 shows obese pensioners receive $69 yearly due to disability.

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Food wastage. Society with excess food available for consumption may be less careful in handling food. This may result in large amount of food being wasted. Such food wastage affects a country because it contributes to additional waste that must be disposed of, which puts more strain on landfills. Such wastage also means that resources such as water and oil used to produce that food are wasted as well.

According to the FAO, each year, consumers in DCs waste as much food as the entire amount of food available in Sub-Saharan Africa for local consumption, which is about 230 million.

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On the other hand, obesity may lead to employment and economic growth. People who are obese may choose to go on a diet in order to lose weight.

In 2012, the weight loss industry in the USA was valued at US$20 billion.

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BROADRICK SECONDARY SCHOOL SECONDARY 4E/5N GEOGRAPHY FOOD RESOURCES - SUGGESTED ANSWERS

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