Can Food Supply Meet Doubled Demand?

Global demand for food is expected to double by 2050, which will put more pressure on the world’s farmers to increase production. But these efforts could also increase carbon dioxide in the air and nitrogen in the soil and contribute to species extinction, warns a team of researchers in a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Agricultural intensification on existing farmland through improved practices and technology transfer—rather than clearing more land—offers the most sustainable approach to increasing food supply and minimizing risks to human and environmental health, the researchers believe. They call on wealthier countries to develop these methods and then transfer the best practices to poorer nations.

“Our analyses show that we can save most of the Earth’s remaining ecosystems by helping the poorer nations of the world feed themselves,” says study leader David Tilman, resident fellow of the University of Minnesota’s Institute on the Environment.

Source: “Global Food Demand and the Sustainable Intensification of Agriculture” by David Tilman et al., Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (online edition, November 21, 2011), www.pnas.org.

End-of-Life Indecision

More than a third of patients with chronic illnesses may ultimately change their minds about life-saving emergency procedures. This suggests that doctors need to discuss these options with their patients more frequently.

A study in the Netherlands focused on 206 patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, chronic heart failure, or chronic renal failure who were in stable condition at the start of the study. The patients were monitored every four months for a year to assess their preferences for resuscitation and mechanical ventilation in the event of cardiac arrest.

At the end of the year, 38% had altered their initial preference—and the changes of mind went both ways, for resuscitation and against, according to lead researcher Daisy Janssen of the Centre of Expertise for Chronic Organ Failure.

Factors contributing to the revised preferences included changes in health status, mobility, marital status, and symptoms of anxiety and depression. Janssen calls for reevaluation of health-care planning protocols, better communication between doctors and patients, and improved training for doctors and nurses in end-of-life care.

Source: CIRO+ Centre of Expertise for Chronic Organ Failure, www.ciro-horn.nl. The study was presented at the European Respiratory Society Annual Congress in Amsterdam (September 26, 2011). Details: European Lung Foundation, www.european-lung-foundation.org.

Religious Awakening in China

Religious practices and spirituality among the Chinese may get a boost, thanks to forthcoming mandatory changes in China’s central government when the 18th Congress of the Communist Party meets later in 2012.

Bans on certain religions and strict regulations of those that are allowed (Buddhism, Catholicism, Taoism, Islam, and Protestantism) have resulted in the creation of black and gray “markets” to fill spiritual needs illegally, such as practicing qigong (breathing techniques and exercises) or holding Sunday school classes for Christian children. An estimated 85% of Chinese citizens engage in supernatural beliefs or practices.

As different local officials enforce the laws differently, spiritual life in China has become more ambiguous, according to Purdue University sociologist Fenggang Yang. “Ironically, the more restrictive and suppressive the country’s religious regulations, the larger the gray market grows,” he notes.

China may be viewed as a bellwether for shifts in other countries where Communism has historically encouraged atheism and suppressed religion, says Yang. Moreover, such shifts are likely to have long-term effects. “This is not really merely about China anymore, because what China becomes will affect the world in many spheres, such as economy, politics, and culture,” he concludes.

Source: Purdue University, www.purdue.edu. Fenggang Yang, professor of sociology, is author of Religion in China: Survival and Revival Under Communist Rule (Oxford University Press, 2011).