How do I answer the 6 mark question: Explain why malnutrition is widespread in certain parts of the world?

6 mark questions such as this require clear definition alongside a clear explanation backed up with some supporting evidence. You can see this is the case because the question begins with the command words 'Explain why', its a good idea to highlight these words to keep you on track. You are also looking for a well structured answer in order to definitely clinche those full 6 marks. If you follow the idea of definition, explanation and evidence chronologically then you've achieved a good structure already. First you need to define what 'malnutrition' means. There will be an exam board set definition of this health deficiency in your textbook which it is a good idea to stick to, but you could also use a global health authorities defintion of it in order to show flair. For instance ''WHO defines malnutrition as referring to deficiencies or excesses in a person’s intake of energy and/or nutrients. Therefore it can involve ‘undernutrition’—which can result in being underweight and diseases such as anaemia, or overnutrition which can result in obesity and diseases such as heart disease. ' Next you need to address why this problem is widespread in certain parts of the world and add brief examples to back up these reasons. You can look back to your definition to help guide this, by spliting your answer between overnutrition and undernutrition. For instance: 'Malnutrition of both types affects people in every country and often those people with the least money. One reason is the different prices and accessibility of food types, nutritious foods are often unaffordable whilst foods and drinks high in fat, sugar and salt are cheaper and more readily available, leading to overnutrition, in poor as well as rich countries. In Brazil the government Family Health Programme helps raise awareness of healthy food choices to prevent this. In other countries, and parts of countries, any food at all is hard to reach, often due to colliding physical and human factors. The 2002 Ethiopian famine is a good example. Here, climate, lack of accessibility to food aid and illness collide to produce an inability to ingest enough balanced food and nutrients.'