NS 4480 - Economics of Food and Malnutrition

(crosslisted) AEM 4485
(D-AG, SBA-HE) (CU-ITL, CU-SBY)

Fall. 3 credits. Letter grades only.

Prerequisite: ECON 1110, AEM 2100, or equivalent, and 9 additional credits in economics, applied economics, or nutrition. Recommended prerequisite: ECON 3140, NS 3600, or equivalent. Enrollment limited to: seniors and juniors. Co-meets with AEM 6485/NS 6480. No enrollments allowed after the first week of classes.

J. Hoddinott.

This course focused on the economics of food and malnutrition from the perspective of individuals and households; that is, a micro-economic approach. Topics include characteristics and constraints associated with food production in both developed and developing countries; the determinants of household food security; the social and economic causes and consequences of undernutrition; the social and economic causes and consequences of obesity; intervention design to reduce food insecurity, undernutrition and obesity.

Outcome 1: Ability to analyze problems of food security and nutrition using perspectives and tools drawn from both economics and nutrition; critically assess studies of the determinants of these; understand the strengths and limitations of interventions designed to ameliorate these.

Outcome 2: Integrate knowledge from the biological and social sciences to address nutrition problems facing individuals, societies and governments.

Outcome 3: Ability to understand and analyze quantitative data on food security and nutrition.

Outcome 4: Ability to access and critically evaluate scientific information from the primary research literature to investigate the causal effects of nutrition.

Outcome 5: Motivation to engage in debates surrounding the design and implementation of innovative solutions to current existing and future problems related to food, hunger, and nutrition.