Food
Diet-related disease is linked to eight out of ten leading causes of death worldwide, and obesity is on the rise in many countries. One out of every nine people in the world today is undernourished, and with looming climate changes and growing populations, food insecurity looms as a major global challenge for the future. This section examines the ways in which food policies and systems impact environmental health, equity, and human well-being.
Food
820 M
Million people do not have enough food to eat
Million people do not have enough food to eat
25%
Decline in global undernutrition since 2005
Decline in global undernutrition since 2005
1/3
Share of food produced annually lost or wasted
Share of food produced annually lost or wasted
70%
Global water use that goes to agriculture
Global water use that goes to agriculture
2 B
Billion people are overweight or obese globally
Billion people are overweight or obese globally
Featured
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
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
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
The Voices of the Navajos
After COVID-19, who will hear the Navajo Nation and address education, water infrastructure, and food insecurity issues?
Pig Pandemics and Other "Epizootic" Threats
COVID-19 is scary, and so are disease outbreaks in animals—they cause great economic devastation and disrupt human lives
Coronavirus and America's Food Supply
Swift action to ensure worker safety, robust food inspections, and sustained supply chains should be top U.S. priorities
COVID-19 and America’s Migrant Workforce
Need health care and groceries? Congress should protect the immigrant workforce—even if the Trump Administration won't
COVID-19: This Crisis Should Make Us Stronger
As efforts to stop the spread of COVID-19 succeed, those who are better off must help the most vulnerable
A Russian Prescription to Reduce Alcohol Use
Sustained changes to alcohol policy in Russia have contributed to big gains in life expectancy
What are Microbiomes and Probiotics?
The first in a series on bacteria in the gut and their potential for improving health and addressing malnutrition
The Market, the Clinic, the Lung, and the Lab
An interview with University of Iowa expert Stanley Perlman on what we know and what we don’t about the new coronavirus