Page 14 - Health, Population and Environment Education 9

principles of physics. In chemistry, we learn about chemicals, gases, etc. which can cause
serious impact in our health. Even several medicines/drugs are made of various chemicals.
In biology, we learn about our health, body systems, organs, etc. In medicine, students learn
about human anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, community medicine, pathology, etc.
which are directly linked with our health. Psychology is related with mind and functioning
of mind. In home science, we learn about cooking food, maintaining hygiene, preservation of
nutrients, etc. which directly affect our health. In physical education, we learn about playing
games. Games have direct impact in our health. The nutrition and health of players affect
their performance in games. In sociology, we learn about society, social traditions, cultural
activities, religions, customs, food habits, etc. In many traditions and cultural activities, people
are encouraged for smoking, drinking alcohol, taking drugs, consuming too much oily, spicy,
roasted food items which directly affect our health.

B. Scope of population education

The subject matters or contents related to population and population matters is called as
scope of population education.
We can study the scope of population education under five different headings as:

i. Demography
Demography is made up of two Greek terms ‘Demos’ and ‘Graphien’ in which ‘Demos’
is people/population where as ‘Graphien’ is the study. Hence, the literal meaning of
demography is study of population.
Demography is the scientific, mathematical and statistical study of population in reference
to population size, structure, density, composition, distribution, etc.

ii. Determinants of population change
Those factors which determine and are responsible for change of population are called
determinants of population change. Birth, death and migration are the major determinants
of population change. Birth increases population and death decreases population whereas
migration can either increase or decrease the population. Similarly, various socio-cultural,
biological and environmental factors also determine population.

iii. Effects of rapid population growth
Due to rapid population growth, there is serious
impact on social, economic and environmental
sectors. When there is increase of population,
there is scarcity of facilities like health services,
education, sanitation, transportation, etc. This
increases social crimes like pick pocketing,
stealing, kidnapping, robberies, etc. and disturbs
the harmony in society. Increase of population
creates scarcity of jobs which affects in
economic condition. Moreover, the resources in Fig: 7

14 GREEN Environment Population and Health Education Book-9