Chapter 20 – Hunger and the Global Environment
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. Approximately what percentage of the world’s population experiences persistent hunger?
a.
4
b.
8
c.
12
d.
16
e.
20
2. Limited or doubtful availability of nutritionally adequate and safe foods is termed food
a.
insecurity.
b.
insufficiency.
c.
vulnerability.
d.
precariousness.
e.
inadequacy.
3. Melissa works two jobs to support her three children. Her financial priorities are to pay the rent and
utilities and provide food and medical necessities for the children. Melissa rarely eats three meals a
day and worries about how and where she will get the next meal for herself and her children. Melissa
is experiencing which of the following?
a.
Food insufficiency
b.
Food mismanagement
c.
Non-sustainable lifestyle
d.
Misallocation of resources
e.
Very low food security
4. Which of the following is the primary cause for hunger in the United States and in less developed
countries?
a.
Poverty
b.
High cost of food
c.
Excessive food waste
d.
Lack of nutrition education
e.
Lack of physical access to food
5. How many people in the United States live in poverty?
a.
19 million
b.
29 million
c.
39 million
d.
49 million
e.
59 million
6. Which of the following is true of the relationship between poverty and hunger?
a.
Hunger and obesity may exist in the same household.
b.
The highest rates of obesity occur among the wealthiest.
c.
The provision of food to the poor increases obesity.
d.
Even people below the poverty line have enough money for food.
7. Approximately what proportion of the world’s food supply is wasted along the way from farm to final
consumption?
a.
1/10
b.
1/5
c.
1/4
d.
1/3
e.
1/2
8. What fraction of the U.S. population receives food assistance of some kind?
a.
1/25
b.
1/15
c.
1/5
d.
1/3
e.
1/2
9. What is the largest federal food assistance program in the United States?
a.
WIC
b.
EAT
c.
National Food Resource Program
d.
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
e.
Senior Farmer’s Market Program
10. What is the average monthly benefit for a recipient of SNAP, per person?
a.
$85
b.
$105
c.
$135
d.
$185
e.
$215
11. SNAP debit cards may be used to purchase which of the following?
a.
laundry detergent
b.
seeds to produce food
c.
cigarettes
d.
vitamins
e.
diapers
12. What is a food desert?
a.
Worldwide crop failures due to drought and pestilence
b.
Absence of fresh fruits and vegetables at certain times of the year
c.
A neighborhood having limited access to nutritious and affordable food
d.
A low-cost energy-dense snack sold primarily in poor neighborhoods
e.
An area in which poverty has made families unable to purchase necessary food
13. Approximately how many people, in millions, are served by the U.S. Supplemental Nutrition
Assistance Program?
a.
15
b.
25
c.
35
d.
45
e.
55
14. What is the name of the largest U.S. national food recovery program?
a.
Feeding America
b.
Goodwill Food Assistance
c.
Salvation Army Ready-to-Eat Meals
d.
Food Salvage and Rescue Organization
e.
We CAN
15. Which of the following is true of malnutrition in children?
a.
Children with kwashiorkor typically have edema.
b.
Children with marasmus often have fatty livers.
c.
Kwashiorkor results mainly from energy inadequacy.
d.
Marasmus results mainly from protein inadequacy.
e.
Children with marasmus often have changes in the color of their hair and skin.
16. As you sit in the waiting room of a doctor’s office leafing through a magazine, you see a letter to the
editor about world hunger. In it, the author takes issue with a statement made in a previous issue that
stated, “…and thus, hunger worsens poverty….” The letter writer claims that this statement is
completely unfounded and has no reasoning behind it. Does hunger worsen poverty?
a.
Yes, but it can be corrected with appropriate access to reproductive health care.
b.
No; if hungry people work hard enough they can work to get themselves out of poverty.
c.
Yes, it propagates poverty by increasing the death rate and leaving many families as
single-parent households.
d.
Yes, hunger makes poverty worse by robbing a person of the good health and the physical
and mental energy needed to be active and productive.
e.
Sometimes, but only when unemployment is high and jobs are scarce.
17. A period of extreme food shortage resulting in widespread starvation and death is best termed
a.
a plague.
b.
a famine.
c.
food poverty.
d.
food insecurity.
e.
epidemic starvation.
18. Cutting world hunger and malnutrition in half by 2015 would generate a value of more than ____ in
longer, healthier, and more productive lives.
a.
$40 billion
b.
$80 billion
c.
$120 billion
d.
$160 billion
e.
$200 billion
19. The worst famine in the 20th century occurred in
a.
India.
b.
China.
c.
Ethiopia
d.
Ireland.
20. Which of the following is a feature of world poverty?
a.
Poverty causes hunger in the developing but not the developed world.
b.
The poorest do not bear children due to poor health.
c.
Poverty affects about 10% of the world’s population.
d.
The poorest poor are typically female.
e.
Urbanization typically decreases poverty-associated hunger.
21. As the newly appointed director of International Supplementation for the World Health Organization
(WHO), you propose supplementing the diets of malnourished populations worldwide with nutrients
that would markedly improve health and well-being. Which of the following nutrients is most likely to
be deficient?
a.
Iron
b.
Iodine
c.
Vitamin A
d.
Vitamin D
e.
Zinc
22. Deficiency in which of the following is associated with irreversible intellectual disability?
a.
iron
b.
iodine
c.
protein
d.
vitamin A
e.
zinc.
23. In an effort to reduce morbidity and mortality, which of the following would be a first course of action
for a Peace Corps volunteer to reduce the prevalence of diarrhea in a small village where she is
working?
a.
Implementing oral rehydration therapy for those who are dehydrated
b.
Implementing oral refeeding therapy for those who are malnourished
c.
Ensuring there is enough fortified rice for all the women and children
d.
Distributing as many medications to the village people as she can obtain
e.
Distributing meals-ready-to-eat (MREs) to restore nutrition.
24. Worldwide, approximately what number of children under 5 die each year of malnutrition and
malnutrition-related causes?
a.
1.6 million
b.
3.6 million
c.
5.6 million
d.
7.6 million
e.
9.6 million
25. Worldwide, how many children younger than 5 have symptoms of vitamin A deficiency?
a.
70 million
b.
80 million
c.
90 million
d.
100 million
e.
110 million
26. What is administered by health care workers to help treat the diarrhea and dehydration common to
children suffering from diseases of poverty?
a.
Oral rehydration therapy
b.
Ozone purified waste water
c.
Protein-energy repletion formula
d.
Charcoal-filtered water and corn starch
e.
RUTF
27. What is meant by carrying capacity of the earth?
a.
The number of tons of edible food that can be produced by all of the earth’s cultivable land
b.
The maximum number of living organisms that can be supported in an environment over
time
c.
The amount of oxygen consumed by all living organisms in relation to the amount of
oxygen produced by all living plants
d.
The total weight of all living organisms in relation to the weight of all non-living material
including the earth’s water mass
e.
The maximum number of people who can exist on earth without causing environmental
damage.
28. What is the approximate yearly increase in the world’s population?
a.
50 million
b.
60 million
c.
70 million
d.
80 million
e.
90 million
29. What is the chief reason why people living in poverty and hunger in the developing world bear
numerous children?
a.
Birth control expenses are prohibitive.
b.
The children are less likely to survive to adulthood.
c.
The low educational level of adults limits their understanding of family planning.
d.
The parents seek greater fulfillment through having more children.
e.
It is a cultural custom in those areas to have many children.
30. The famine Somalia is currently experiencing has left an estimated ____ people starving.
a.
6 million
b.
8 million
c.
10 million
d.
12 million
e.
14 million
31. Worldwide, the poorest poor subsist on less than ____ per day.
a.
$1
b.
$3
c.
$5
d.
$7
e.
$9
32. Which of the following describes a known long-term relationship among poverty and population
growth?
a.
As economic status improves, population growth rises.
b.
As economic status improves, population growth diminishes.
c.
Lack of natural resources, not poverty, is the most important contributor to
overpopulation.
d.
Extreme poverty tends to greatly suppress population growth.
e.
Economic status and population growth are unrelated in the developing world.
33. What percentage of the world’s population is at risk of zinc deficiency?
a.
5
b.
10
c.
15
d.
20
e.
25
34. What proportion of children in the developing world are severely underweight by age 5?
a.
1 in 20
b.
1 in 10
c.
1 in 4
d.
1 in 3
e.
1 in 2
35. Acute malnutrition in children is characterized by
a.
hyperactivity.
b.
shrunken liver.
c.
low weight for height.
d.
short height for weight.
e.
stunting
36. Chronic malnutrition in children is characterized by
a.
hyperactivity.
b.
shrunken liver.
c.
short height for age.
d.
low weight for height.
e.
rapid weight loss
37. You are reading a case study from a researcher at World University. The researcher has traveled to the
largest city in India and is reporting on an illness present in a 15-month-old boy. The researcher
describes the child as extremely thin and bony, with wrinkled skin and enlarged fatty liver. For the past
year, this child has subsisted almost entirely on diluted cereal drink. Your first thought is that most of
these observations are characteristic of marasmus, but then you realize that ____ is more consistent
with kawashikor.
a.
wrinkled skin
b.
food intake pattern
c.
enlarged fatty liver
d.
extremely thin
e.
bony appearance
38. Which of the following would you expect to see in a person with kwashiorkor?
a.
Edema
b.
Low levels of ADH
c.
Muscle wasting
d.
Baggy-appearing skin
e.
“Match stick” arms and legs
39. Which of the following is associated with the presence of tissue edema in kwashiorkor?
a.
Inadequate intake of water
b.
Excessive intake of dietary protein
c.
Low concentration of blood protein
d.
High concentration of blood protein
e.
Low levels of ADH
40. Which of the following is a characteristic of marasmus?
a.
Increased body temperature
b.
Affects brain development only minimally
c.
Rapid metabolism
d.
Inability to tolerate cold
e.
Decreased albumin
41. Which of the following is a feature of malnutrition?
a.
Dysentery is common and leads to diarrhea and nutrient depletion.
b.
Intestinal villi grow slightly larger to provide additional absorptive surfaces for nutrients.
c.
Digestive enzyme production increases in order to extract as much of the ingested
nutrients as possible.
d.
Infections are uncommon due to insufficient availability of nutrients in the body to support
growth of bacteria and viruses.
e.
Children typically recover well from marasmus if adequate food is provided.
42. At the end of your class presentation on “Acute Malnutrition,” a student asks you to clarify how the
rapid onset of malnutrition occurs in kwashiorkor. How should you respond?
a.
It is the result of an inborn error of metabolism.
b.
It is usually synchronized with the drought season in each respective country.
c.
It is typically seen in patients who are 2-5 years old due to the sudden change in diet
arising from their dislike for breast milk as they grow older.
d.
It is typically seen in patients after weaning due to the sudden change in diet arising from
their being weaned from breast milk after the birth of a sibling.
e.
It occurs when the family’s finances are no longer able to afford food for all family
members.
43. What term describes the malnutrition syndrome a child develops when the next child is born and the
first child no longer receives breast milk?
a.
Marasmus
b.
Kwashiorkor
c.
Psychomalnutrition
d.
Postbirth malnutrition
e.
Sibling-associated anorexia
44. The word “marasmus” means
a.
terribly thin.
b.
without muscle.
c.
dying away.
d.
empty stomach.
e.
lacking food.
45. In kwashiorkor, the loss of hair color is indirectly related to
a.
lack of tyrosine.
b.
elevated levels of blood homocysteine.
c.
excessive exposure to the sun’s UV rays.
d.
being nursed by a poorly-nourished mother.
e.
increased blood lead levels.
46. In kwashiorkor, what mineral is often present in an unbound form that promotes bacterial growth?
a.
Iron
b.
Iodine
c.
Arsenic
d.
Calcium
e.
Sodium
47. What is the most likely explanation for the fatty liver that develops from protein deficiency?
a.
Increased uptake of circulating fats
b.
Increased absorption of dietary fats
c.
Inability of adipose tissue to remove circulating fats
d.
Inability of the liver to synthesize lipoproteins for fat export
e.
Paradoxical storage of fats
48. Which of the following is a feature of kwashiorkor?
a.
It makes the child appear grossly dehydrated.
b.
It usually occurs prior to the onset of marasmus.
c.
It is usually found in communities where marasmus is present.
d.
Children typically have a grossly swollen belly.
e.
Children have a “skin and bones” appearance.
49. Which of the following is true of RUTF?
a.
It restores fluids.
b.
It is powdered and must be rehydrated for use.
c.
It is administered IV.
d.
It is a paste made from local commodities.
e.
Children dislike the taste and often must be forced to eat it.
50. What type of diet is advised to rehabilitate a severely malnourished child?
a.
RUTF
b.
Large amounts of the local diet
c.
Liberal quantities of lactose-free powdered milk until growth rate is restored
d.
High energy until normal body mass index is achieved, then moderate energy thereafter
e.
BRAT
51. Which of the following is a characteristic of marasmus in children?
a.
It leads to inability to maintain body temperature.
b.
It promotes hyperactivity and excessive crying for food.
c.
It impairs brain development mainly from ages 2-5 years old.
d.
It leads to severe edema of the abdomen but insufficient water retention by the brain.
e.
It is rare even in very impoverished nations due to UN programs combating hunger.
52. What is RUTF?
a.
An advanced stage of kwashiorkor
b.
An advanced stage of protein-energy malnutrition
c.
A paste of peanut butter and powdered milk plus micronutrients
d.
A sustainable agricultural practice that integrates farm-raised animals with aquaculture
e.
A fluid used to restore electrolytes in children with diarrhea
53. What percentage of the world’s children under the age of 5 have short stature for their age?
a.
5
b.
10
c.
15
d.
20
e.
25
54. What percentage of the world’s children under the age of 5 have low weight for their height?
a.
5
b.
10
c.
15
d.
20
e.
25
55. The famine in Somalia has left ____ children under the age of 5 dead.
a.
10,000
b.
20,000
c.
30,000
d.
40,000
e.
50,000
56. Which of the following is among the ingredients of a common oral rehydration formula?
a.
Iron
b.
Sugar
c.
Milk
d.
Zinc
e.
Powdered peanuts
57. Which of the following is a feature of common agricultural practices in the developed world?
a.
They promote protection of soil and water.
b.
They frequently lead to higher crop prices.
c.
They are designed to benefit mostly small family farms.
d.
They tend to support the use of pesticides and fertilizers.
e.
They emphasize “green” practices.
58. A sharp rise in the rates of hunger and malnutrition, usually set off by a shock to either the supply of,
or demand for, food and a sudden spike in food prices is called a
a.
food crisis.
b.
famine.
c.
food inflation.
d.
food imbalance.
e.
cost imbalance.
59. Which of the following is a characteristic of farm irrigation?
a.
It makes the soil more porous.
b.
It helps preserve the water supply.
c.
It contributes to soil preservation.
d.
It increases the salt content in the soil.
e.
It raises water tables.
60. What is aquaculture?
a.
A seaweed growth system
b.
The practice of fish farming
c.
Replenishment of fish in the wild
d.
The raising of plants in a water environment
e.
Raising food crops in fluid rather than soil
61. Which of the following is a feature of aquaculture?
a.
All farmed fish must be fed to sustain the practice.
b.
It provides about 10% of the world’s fish for consumption.
c.
It is successful in freshwater lakes but not in ocean waters.
d.
Currently available technologies cannot yet make it sustainable.
e.
It provides nearly all of the world’s shellfish for consumption.
62. Approximately what percentage of all energy use in the U.S. is devoted to the food industry?
a.
5
b.
10
c.
20
d.
30
e.
40
63. Which of the following is a major contributor to the world’s supply of food energy?
a.
Barley
b.
Maize
c.
Rye
d.
Sorghum
e.
Adzuki beans
64. What term describes agricultural practices that are designed to minimize use of energy and chemicals?