01. Indicators of development and food consumption

Define the following economic and social indicators and explain how the indicators can be used to show the level of development of a country.

1. GDP per capita

·         Refers to total value of all 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.

·         Countries with high GDP per capita indicate higher income and high purchasing power which can enable them to enjoy higher standard of living and quality of life

2. Employment opportunity

·         More employment opportunities will result in more jobs for the local population.

·         When people are employed, they will have an income and their standard of living will improve

·         Usually measured in terms of the employment/unemployment rate.

·         There is higher employment opportunity in the developed countries.

3. Adult Literacy rate

·         Refers to the percentage of those aged 15 and above who can read and write.

·         Countries with high literary rate have a more educated population who can drive the country’s economy and the population is generally more aware of health and wellness trends.

·         The higher the adult literacy rate, the more developed a country is.

4. Life Expectancy.

·         Refers to the average number of years a person is expected to live based on current technology.

·         A country that is more developed has a higher level and higher quality of healthcare, water, sanitation, food supply and living condition.

·         The more developed countries generally have higher life expectancies.

Look at how the HDI (Human Development Index) varies across the countries on the map available on

https://ourworldindata.org/human-development-index

Describe how the HDI shows the level of development of the country.

What are the indicators of food consumption?

Food consumption per capita (kg/capita/yr) is the average amount of food a person consumes per year.

• DCs consume higher amounts of meat and vegetables per capita than LDCs.

• DCs consume higher amounts of food overall compared to LDCs.

Daily calorie intake (kilocalories) is the energy obtained from food consumed per person each day.

• Average of 2,586 kilocalories required per day.

• DCs have higher daily calorie intake than LDCs.

Starchy staples as % of all calories

• Staple food is starchy food that forms the main part of the diet.

• Cereals which is a staple food is high in starch, a form of carbohydrate, providing the human body with energy.

• Cereals consists of grains such as wheat and rice

• Non-staple food consist of meat, fruits and vegetables.

• Meat e.g. beef, chicken, fish are high in protein and fats.

• Fruits and vegetables are high in vitamins, minerals and fiber.