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 nine percent 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
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
Corporate Influence in Ecuador’s Food Policy
Recent policies enable corporations to set priorities for the country’s child malnutrition strategy
COVID-Era Learning Loss Tied to Food Insecurity
New data points to food security as a predicator of academic success during the pandemic
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
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
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
Sri Lanka’s Alcohol Tax Reform Spurs Economic and Health Recovery
Amidst economic turmoil, the opportunity emerges for transformative fiscal policies to tackle public health challenges
Global Lead Poisoning Is the Biggest Threat You’ve Never Heard About
Despite the magnitude of this problem, many have never even heard of lead poisoning as a global health challenge
Seaweed’s Renaissance
How the seaweed industry is changing the tide on climate, health, and agriculture
The Philippines’ Blind Spot for Alcohol
Why the alcohol problem in the Philippines is complicated
Is It Time to Rethink Regulations on Ultra-Processed Foods?
Why experts and policymakers are challenging traditional nutrition approaches to tackle diet-related health crises
A Successful Battle Against the Bottle
How the government, health-care professionals, and the community improved alcohol policies in Taiwan