According to this year's 'State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World' report, India has the highest number of malnourished people in the world, with a staggering 195 million affected. This report, prepared by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, was published jointly by five UN agencies, including UNICEF. The report also highlights a slight improvement in India's statistics: between 2004-06, the number of malnourished people in the country was 240 million.
However, the report underscores that more than half of Indians (55.6%) still cannot afford a 'healthy diet'. For many, a nutritious diet is a distant dream, and they struggle to afford even two meals a day.
While malnutrition among children and adults remains a serious concern, the report also highlights the rising epidemic of obesity in India. About 2.8% of all children under the age of five are obese, an increase from 2.2% in 2012. The prevalence of obesity among adults stands at 7.3%, up from 4.1% in 2022. According to a recent WHO report, one in two people in India is not physically active.
The report further states that stunting among children under five years of age and anemia among women aged 15-49 is significantly high in less developed countries, alongside the alarming increase in adult obesity. The steady rise in obesity is a global trend. "New estimates of adult obesity suggest that it has consistently increased over the past decade, from 12.1% in 2012 to 15.8% in 2022. The world is failing to meet the target of halting the rise in global obesity by 2030, as more than 1.2 billion obese adults are expected by that year," according to the SOFI report.
The recently released Global Food Policy Report by the International Food Policy Research Institute is even more alarming in that, despite numerous efforts, a large population worldwide is still deprived of a nutritious diet. According to this latest report, two billion people around the world still lack access to nutritious food.
As a result, malnutrition is increasing, and people are becoming more susceptible to diseases. It’s important to acknowledge that, on one hand, food is being wasted on a large scale due to our habits, while on the other, a significant amount of grain is spoiled due to inadequate storage, largely due to a lack of technology among farmers. In other words, food becomes useless both due to our habits and the lack of proper systems to preserve it, and we bear the consequences directly. This is not the first time such a report has been published.
The International Food Policy Research Institute releases such a report every year. While there’s no doubt that the situation is improving, the kind of improvement that should be happening is not. This is not a problem of any one country; to a greater or lesser extent, this situation exists in most countries around the world. The problem is more severe in low-income countries.
Malnutrition, in other words, the lack of easy access to nutritious food, has a direct impact on health. It is estimated that if people start receiving a nutritious diet, one in five lives could be easily saved. The seriousness of the situation can be understood by the fact that 148 million children are stunted, and 48 million children are underweight due to lack of proper nutrition. Additionally, 5 million people die of diabetes every year simply due to a lack of a nutritious diet.
Overweight and obesity are becoming more common. People are succumbing to non-communicable diseases due to malnutrition. While governments in many countries are providing nutritious food to their people, restaurants, hotels, and event organizers in many countries are taking active steps to prevent food wastage.
However, these efforts are no more than a drop in the ocean. In such a situation, every grain of food needs to be saved. The way food is wasted at parties, especially in buffet food, is evident. Despite the situation in our country, people flock to buffet stalls at events, piling their plates with food, only to later throw it in the dustbin. This scene depicts food wastage. To some extent, this situation can be seen in most countries around the world.
Now, imagine how many people could be fed with this wasted food. This misuse of food can be easily stopped. Neither nature nor the system can be blamed for this. Likewise, the damage to agricultural production due to a lack of proper storage facilities can also be minimized. In this way, both food and grain wastage can be prevented. This is very serious.
The main reasons for not getting a nutritious diet are the lack of food availability, accessibility, and affordability, i.e., poverty or inadequate income. Notably, coordinated efforts are needed to address the situation on a global scale. Countries around the world also need to manage demand and supply chains.
Food wastage and increasing malnutrition are two interconnected serious issues, which not only create economic but also social and health-related problems. In today's era, although food production is abundant, the disparities in its distribution and consumption are leading to a rise in malnutrition. Food wastage is a major problem at the global level.
Nearly one-third of the food produced globally each year is wasted. The main result of this is unnecessary waste creation, which requires additional resources for management. This wastage has a significant impact on the global economy, especially in developing countries where food demand is high and availability is low.
Food wastage and malnutrition are interconnected. Globally, many poor countries face food shortages and, at the same time, have high rates of malnutrition. The primary cause of malnutrition is the lack of essential nutrients in the diet. Malnutrition affects physical and mental health, especially in children. It hinders physical development, reduces immunity, and even impacts intelligence.
The rate of malnutrition in both rural and urban areas of India is still alarming. Malnutrition not only affects an individual’s health but also imposes an economic burden on the entire society. Malnutrition leads to higher healthcare and treatment costs, hindering overall societal development.
On the other hand, it is possible for global food organizations and agencies to easily provide other available food grains to the needy worldwide. The question is simple: this issue can at least be partially resolved. Governments of countries need to consider other measures to ensure that people receive nutritious food.
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