The world is not as hungry as you might think

-

Bichell, R. (2015, October 16). The world is not as hungry as you might think.  Retrieved from http://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2015/10/16/447157158/the-world-is-not-as-hungry-as-you-might-think?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=npr&utm_term=nprnews&utm_content=2042


Approximately 40,000 people have died each year since 2000 due to starvation, a large decrease from 1.4 million individuals during 1870-1970.  Despite this decrease in hunger related deaths, about 800 million people are undernourished today.  This article discusses the Global Health Index (GHI) and its use in rating countries based on a scale of 1 to 100.  The GHI is based on the prevalence of undernourishment, child wasting, child stunting, and child mortality.

Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Brazil, Croatia, Latvia, Peru, Mongolia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kyrgyzstan, and Venezuela are countries singled out in this report for being the “most improved countries” in combating hunger.  An increased economy, decreased civil war, and implementation of national programs that provide cash to poor households are just some of the ways these countries are improving their hunger rates. In contrast, Chad, Egypt, Iraq, Pakistan, Bulgaria, Central African Republic, Jamaica, Sri Lanka, Namibia, and Kuwait are reported as being the “least improved.” The continuation of AIDS/HIV and use of war tactics that force individuals to starve are two major contributors to hunger rates in developing countries.  One of the last statements in this article is “the extremes of starvation that we see are often man-made.” 

-AC

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Are All Sugars Created Equal?

-
Image
Are All Sugars Created Equal?  I think one of the most confusing nutrition topics for people is sugar. With so many conflicting stories out there, it’s difficult to separate the facts from the fiction. Not to mention, the types of sugars are endless. How do we know what’s best for our bodies? White or brown sugar? Cane or raw? Should we just go with Stevia instead? Is it even okay to consume artificial sweeteners? Should we avoid foods with high amounts of natural sugar in them? Each answer only seems to lead to another question!  Let’s start off with distinguishing the purpose of sugar in the first place. Do our bodies even need it? The short answer is yes! Sugars are carbohydrates (what we commonly call “carbs”), one of the three main macronutrients that our bodies need for fuel to function and survive. One of the major ways to categorize sugar is by separating the “natural” sugars from the “added” sugars. Natural sugars are, well, naturally found in foods. They give us the energy th
Read more

Milk Mythbusters

-
Image
Just like with any nutrition topic, the facts about milk can become convoluted pretty quickly. Whether you drink milk for the protein, the nutrients, the flavor, or just like to switch it up, there are pros and cons to every kind. Here are some quick nutritional facts about each type to help you decide which is best for you. Animal-Based Milks  Whole Milk: The original diary drink. It gets a bad rap, but what whole milk has going for it, is that it’s in its proper nutritional form. Whole milk contains all of its original fat-soluble vitamins, A, E, D, & K, along with the fat to help you absorb them all. It also has the proper concentrations and ratio of polyunsaturated fatty acids, or your omega-3s and omega-6s, so that they are metabolized as they should be. The downside is that whole milk is calorically dense, meaning that a little goes a long way. You don’t need much to get what you need, so just don’t overdo it!  2% Milk: The fat content of 2% milk is about half of that in who
Read more