Food
Diet-related disease is linked to eight out of ten leading causes of death worldwide. Obesity is on the rise in many countries. Almost 9% of the world's population is undernourished. Climate change and growing populations are on a trajectory that will lead to increases in food insecurity. This section examines these issues and how food policies and systems impact equity and human well-being
Food
31%
31% of students are falling behind in math and 26% are in reading
COVID-Era Learning Loss Tied to Food Insecurity
4,200
Each year, more than 4,200 Sri Lankans die of alcohol-related diseases or injuries
Sri Lanka's Alcohol Tax Reform Spurs Economic and Health Recovery
47 Million
Forty-seven million children are acutely malnourished
Why Some Children Relapse From Severe Acute Malnutrition
30 Years
Food sovereignty is an idea that has been discussed in Indigenous communities for about 30 years
Food sovereignty and Native Americans
1/4
Before the war in Ukraine, Russia and Ukraine accounted for more than a quarter of the world’s grain exports
Global grain exports
40 Percent
Globally, 40 percent of children ages 6 to 59 months were anemic in 2019—equivalent to 269 million children
Global Anemia in Kids
45 Percent
Malnutrition contributes to an estimated 45 percent of child deaths globally
Global child malnutrition
5 Million
An estimated 5 million deaths occur each year due to overweight and obesity
Obesity-related deaths
60 Percent
60 percent of children under five in India have anemia
Childhood Anemia in India
10 Million
Between 1991 to 2016, the number of overweight children in Africa doubled, from 5.4 million to 10.3 million
Fast food in Africa
Featured
The Last Mile of Nutrition
Introducing a new way to measure the health impacts of community-based food programs and farmers markets
Gaza's Food Crisis Began Long Before the Israel-Hamas Conflict
The threat of famine has deepened with war and will continue after the conflict ends
Alcohol Industry Panics as Healthier Habits Cut Sales
Industry reps cite a "war on alcohol," but consumer attitudes suggest a cultural shift toward less drinking
A Mayan Farming Technique to Fight Guatemala's Food Insecurity
The K'uxu'rum system improves crop yields and enables farmers to adapt to climate extremes
Timeline: H5N1 Bird Flu Outbreak in the U.S.
A weekly updated timeline for H5N1 outbreak events
A New Roadmap For Obesity Prevention
Countries should adopt a multidisciplinary approach to address nutritional transitions
Bird Flu, U.S. Cows, and Economic Consequences
The recent H5N1 outbreak in cattle has rattled livestock markets and raised public health concerns
Curbing India's Ultra-Processed Foods
Increased popularity of ultra-processed foods could be leading to a health crisis
Polarization Threatens Food Security and Systems Globally
Political disagreements on sustainability and climate action damage prospects for needed changes in food production
The Food Is Medicine Strategy Gains Momentum
U.S. health care is crafting food-based nutrition interventions to combat diet-related diseases
Transforming the Global Food System for Better Health
Healthy, sustainable, and resilient food systems require changes in food policies and private-sector engagement
COVID-Era Learning Loss Tied to Food Insecurity
New data points to food security as a predicator of academic success during the pandemic
Why Some Children Relapse From Severe Acute Malnutrition
A new pediatric study answers why and how often relapse occurs with the deadliest form of malnutrition
Corporate Influence in Ecuador’s Food Policy
Recent policies enable corporations to set priorities for the country’s child malnutrition strategy
What Brazil’s “Poison Package” Means for Global Food Supplies
New legislation could weaken regulations on pesticide use, allowing for temporary approvals before risks are reviewed