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
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
34 Percent
34 percent of U.S. households reported grocery shopping online more since COVID-19
Online food shopping during COVID-19
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
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
Seeds: An Unlikely Casualty of the War in Ukraine
How history—and future crops—were lost when Russia attacked a scientific warehouse for valuable plants and seeds
Bake for Ukraine
Neither war nor displacement can keep these Ukrainian bakers from feeding their community
Russia's War on Food
Russia's own food security is yet another casualty of its eight-year war in Ukraine
How AI Is Transforming Maternal Health Care in Vietnam
Southeast Asia is harnessing technology to equip parents with better information about childhood nutrition
Breastfeeding Babies During War
Parents from Ukraine and other countries in crisis struggle to breastfeed and formula feed their children
How the U.S. Baby Formula Shortage Affects Low-Income Families
Families living in poverty are making impossible trade-offs between food, rent, and essentials like formula and diapers
Mitigating Malnutrition
An arresting global surge in the number of people experiencing hunger and what's behind it
Online Grocery Shopping During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Opportunities to support equitable access to food
Is Fast Food Eating Away at Africa's Progress?
It is often said that Africa is the future, but what kind of future will it have if its population is unhealthy?
New Netflix Release "Gather" Explores the Fight to Revitalize Native Foodways
Think Global Health talks with the film's director about food sovereignty
In Somalia, Should COVID Vaccination or Food Security Come First?
Conflict and drought further complicate the East African nation's health decisions
Food Fight: Fighting for Healthier Food is a Life-or-Death Struggle
Governments should act now to build resilient populations, protected from nutrition-related diseases
COVID-19 Shows Us It's Time to Tackle Obesity and Overweight
Lessons and cautionary tales from the anti-smoking movement show us a way to move forward
Children, Hunger, Stress, and Coronavirus
We need to identify at-risk U.S. children and expand safety nets worldwide to keep kids fed, immunized, and looked after
Why Private Sector Engagement Should Be Part of the Solution in the Developing World
It’s time we push for a broader COVID-19 response that recognizes the role of business in systemic and behavior change