Chapter2 Reflection of Poor Economics

Chapter 2 was truly impressive for me at the point that it breaks the logical explanation which people usually hold, the poverty trap. People would agree on the idea that more food means more productivity so if the poor can eat enough or more, their productivity would also increase. This idea leads to many food subsidies, feeding missionaries, and so on. Government provides more and more programs that provide food subsidies and try to feed the poor.

The reading does not support more food, more productivity but it indeed says more nutrition, more productivity. It is up to what food they consume. Chpter2 introduces a lot of interesting researches and studies about the relationship between nutrition and future success. The genetic differences in height between populations are believed to be minimal but it is related to environment especially nutrition they supplied.

Reuters presented “Taller People Are Smarter—Study,” and be complained and insulted by bunch of short people. His point was not totally wrong however it was not about the height, it was about the nutrition which height is one way to measure the nutrition level for children.

According to the reading, in Kenya, children who were given deworming pills in school for two years went to school longer and earned, as young adults, 20 percent more than children in comparable schools who received deworming for just one year which shows that the Worms contribute to anemia and general malnutrition, essentially because they compete with the child for nutrients.

The reading says “One review study by some of the greatest experts on nutrition conclude: “Undernourished children are more likely to become short adults, to have lower educational achievement, and to give birth to smaller infants. Undernutrition is also associated with lower economic status in adulthood.””

Chapter 2 shows how important nutrition is especially to the kids who are the future leading generation of the world.