Tag: Global health challenges

According to the UN, over 2.3 billion people faced moderate or severe food insecurity in 2023. This stark figure highlights the complexities behind the question of how many people in the world do not eat to maintain health, a problem encompassing both undernutrition and overnutrition.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), over 2 billion people worldwide suffer from micronutrient deficiency, making it the most common form of malnutrition. This widespread issue, often called "hidden hunger," occurs when the body lacks essential vitamins and minerals required for proper growth and development, even if the person consumes enough calories overall.

In 2022, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported that while 390 million adults were underweight, a staggering 890 million were living with obesity. This striking global disparity highlights a critical public health phenomenon known as the double burden of malnutrition, where nutrient deficiencies and excess weight problems coexist.

Affecting one-third of people worldwide, malnutrition is not just about hunger but also about diet quality and excess. The double burden of malnutrition describes the concurrent presence of both overnutrition and undernutrition within the same population, household, or even individual. This complex global health issue primarily impacts low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), creating significant challenges for public health and development.