Low And Middle-Income Countries Are At Higher Risk of Obesity And Malnutrition

A report has found out that one-third of the poorest nations are facing the wraths of extreme obesity and undernourishment. Experts have claimed that global access to ultra-processed food and lack of exercise are the prime reasons behind this condition. Asian and Sub Saharan African nations are majorly hit by this. As per the data, nearly 2.3 billion children and adults are dealing with obesity in the world. Also, approximately 150 billion children are malnourished across the globe. Several underdeveloped countries are dealing with both issues at once, which can be defined as a double burden of malnutrition. Statistics show that around 20 percent of people are overweight on the planet and 20 percent of women are skinny thin. Nearly 30 percent of children are underdeveloped in the world.

The study has pointed out that communities and families are at risk of both kinds of malnutrition. Individual people can also face the same at different times in their lives. According to the report, 45 nations out of 123 poor countries were affected by both kinds of burdens in 1990. In 2010, the number of countries affected by obesity and malnutrition increased to 48. The authors of the study have said that this is the time we need to bring some important changes in the modern food system. They have asserted that the governments and the United Nation should intervene to address the problem.

Researchers have cited many reasons behind the double problems affecting poor nations. They have said that there is a new trend in the way people eat drink and live. People have easy access to less nutritious food through rapidly increasing supermarkets. There is also a decrease in the physical activity of people, which has caused people to grow overweight. Eating ultra-processed food since childhood is causing malnourishment in children. The lead author of the report Dr. Francesco Branca has said that the food system is a common denominator for obesity and undernourishment, which is finding it hard to provide affordable healthy and safe diets to people. Branca has said the food system needs a complete overhaul from production, processing, trade distribution, to price and marketing.