Poverty and Community: Lifestyle Diseases for the Poor

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K12316
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 80010:Area studies-related
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: NAKANISHI Toru 東京大学, 大学院総合文化研究科, 教授 (30227839)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 非感染性疾患 / フィリピン / 貧困 / 食 / 有機農業 / 遺伝子組み換え作物 / 大手アグリビジネス / 提携

Outline of Final Research Achievements

How can the poor proactively solve the problem of poverty change, i.e., the increase in non-communicable diseases due to dietary changes, while taking advantage of social relationships?
To answer the question, this study conducted an Internet survey and a face-to-face survey. The results revealed that (1) on the rural side, the development of organic agriculture has been hampered by the strategic actions of large-scale agribusinesses under the COVID-19 pandemic, and (2) to improve the health status of the urban poor, it is essential to deepen their awareness not only about health but also about agriculture and the organic peasants in the rural area. This study also suggests the bilateral direct dels in organic agricultural products based on the establishment of partnerships among the peasants and the urban poor which are similar to "Tei-Kei."

Free Research Field

地域研究

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

開発経済学 においても注目されつつある肥満と生活習慣病の増加という「第二の貧困」を，低所得層による自助の観点から捉え直す研究として，フィリピンのみならず，発展途上国一般の貧困政策にも大きな実践的意義を有する点にある。
この「第二の貧困」の源泉の一つは，所得上昇による人々の食生活の急激な変化に求められるものであり，人々の意識改革によって，相当程度は解決し得る問題である。その意味で，緊密なコミュニティの役割は大きく，彼らの健康増進による福祉（well-being）の改善に多大な貢献をなし得る。