Lesson 50: Hunger, Malnutrition, and Famine
In this lesson, we will talk about problems in the world related to
either not having enough food or, in some cases, eating too much. We will also
look at famines that occur throughout the world as a result of drought or
conflict.
The UN established in its Millennium Development Goals (MDG) the ambitious goal
of cutting world hunger by 50% in 2015-2020 in developing countries.
Hunger is the lack of basic food to
provide energy and meet nutritional needs. Malnutrition is the lack of
essential nutrients such as amino acids, vitamins and minerals. A person can be
full but malnourished if they are not getting the right nutrition.
Undernourishment involves not having enough food for energy needs. This is
common in developing countries such as India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, China,
Ethiopia, Indonesia and the People's Republic of Congo. Sub-Saharan Africa has
the highest percentage with 239 million people who are undernourished. Hunger
and undernourishment lead to disease, stunted growth and earlier deaths.
Overnourishment involves eating too much and is common in
developed nations. More than 1/3 of the US population is clinically obese at 30
pounds overweight or more. The best way to combat obesity is through exercise,
healthy diet, hydration and enough sleep.
Hunger is common in
areas that
have experienced famines due to
drought or conflict. A lot of Africa has experienced long-term, severe droughts
and civil conflict.
Poor crop yields, rise in food prices and
lack of food security have increased volatility.
The World Food Program (WFP) of the UN distributes global food aid with large
donations from the US, Japan and EU. While the US and Canada have donated
generously to end world hunger and succeeded in ending immediate famines, the
problems of actually growing food locally and profitably for farmers still
remains.