Cato Institute economist Indur Goklany’s book The Improving State of the World says human overall are healthier and richer - fewer of us are suffering from poverty, hunger or illiteracy.

More specifically on the subject of improving health this is interesting:

• The daily food intake in poor countries has increased by 38 percent since the 1960s to 2,666 calories per person per day, on average.
• Together with a 75 percent decline in global food prices in real terms in the second half of the 20th century — caused by improved agricultural productivity and freer trade — fewer people than ever before are going hungry.

I have not read this book yet but in the Western World its hard to believe that people are becoming healthier given the increasing rates of diabetes and obesity.

Using available calories for consuming as a way to measure increasing health is a poor measure.

Many of these crops higher in availability are also poor nutritionally for humans being - grains in the form of wheat, corn, and rice plus legumes like soy beans.

Then of course they’re processed to hell and back.

Consuming lots of empty sugary, processed carb calories is a sure way to weight problems and ultimately diabetes.

“Yes but people have the choice available to them to purchase more healthful foods at cheaper prices”

Sure people have a choice as to whether or not they consume corn syrup, but the fact is plenty of people do consume corn syrup (and all the other junk) and diabetes is increasing through out the western world and even countries that are becoming westernized like China.

With all of the associated health problems that go with diabetes and the fact that around 50% of people in most Western countries are either overweight or obese, you have to question the validity of conclusions which say we are getting healthier.

Its far easier for the average person to purchase processed junk than it is to purchase quality food.

How many convinience food, junk food outlets are there compared to produce stores and butchers are there?

And when you go to the supermarket how much processed food aisles are there compared to the produce and meat sections?

For the average nutrition uneducated, junk food - processed carbs marketing saturated person living in the western world they are much less likely to make healthful choices.

So I don’t agree with Indur Goklany and The Improving State of the World as far as health goes. Even developing nations are having increases of diabetes and weight problems.