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According to experts, development has brought about
a new global scourge -- widespread malnourishment among overweight individuals
eating calorie-rich, nutrient-poor diets. In fact, the world's population
of 1.2 billion overfed and undernourished individuals now equals those
starving from a lack of healthy food.
The world is in the midst of a nutrition crisis,
and the impact of the global 'nutrition crisis' is large, but also largely
unrecognized. According to the report, hunger declined slightly, especially
in Asia and Latin America, over the past few decades. A recent UN report
estimates that 790 million people now experience hunger daily, compared
with 918 million in 1970. However, at the same time, increasing affluence
has triggered a global boom in unhealthy overeating.
Consumption of fat and sugar has surged far beyond
earlier levels as people eat more livestock products and as oil and sugar
are added to foods of all kinds. In fact, fatty and sugary foods have
in large part replaced fruits, vegetables and other nutrient-rich foods
in the diets of millions, so much so that "one-fifth of the 'vegetables'
Americans eat are French fries and potato chips." The result? High
levels of obesity, surging cholesterol levels, and deficiencies in important
vitamins and minerals that leave overweight individuals prone to chronic
disease.
The authors also point out that the condition of
being overweight or obese is no longer found only in wealthy nations.
For example, the numbers of overweight people in the Chinese population
rose from 9% to 15% between 1989 and 1992, with similar increases charted
in Latin and South America and Europe. Besides the starving and the poorly
overfed, the Worldwatch report points to a third group of several billion
people at risk from malnutrition.
Described as the 'hidden hungry,' these people
appear to be adequately fed, but are nonetheless debilitated by a lack
of essential vitamins and minerals. Food companies tend to make more money
from processed, high-calorie foods, and aggressive marketing campaigns
capitalize on the natural human desire for fat and sugar. In America,
trends toward 'supersizing' meals have led to an unrealistic image of
what consists of a 'normal' food serving, while deep-frying has allowed
citizens of less affluent nations to take in large quantities of fat without
upping their meat intake.
"State of the World 2000"
report, published by the Worldwatch Institute, a Washington, DC-based
independent research group.
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