Is your belly full you completed all your meals today? But, you can see millions of malnourished children out there on planet earth. Of course, this scenario is slowly changing the number of malnourished children is falling in every continent. In the large picture, at least half of the children under age five suffer from hunger. You can see three forms of malnutrition - undernutrition, hidden hunger, and overweight. You can see all these forms co-exist in a family. The sad part, no one country has shown progress in decreasing malnutrition in the past 20 years.
Transition of nutrition
Over a few decades, our world has changed a lot. More people started to move into the urban cities from rural areas. Women empowerment has become a thriving source now. Our new world has an intense impact on how food is produced, what we eat. Globalization may have increased our choices in choosing what we eat. But it is also expanded a market for junk foods and fast foods.
More than half of the world lives in cities. Urbanization showed us a shift from a healthy diet and lifestyle to ultra-processed foods and an unworthy lifestyle. By 2050, 70% of the adolescents' population will live in cities, exposed to unhealthy foods.
Natural calamities like floods, storms, and extreme heat have doubled since 1990. Climatic fluctuations disrupt food production and accessibility in rural areas. Also, these calamities affect agriculture. In areas where farmers rely on a single staple crop like maize, the whole production can wipe out the food supply. The disruption from climate change is forcing families to abandon their farms and move to urban areas.
Marketing influences children's eating habits
Marketing has a major influence on a child's diet. Advertisements, food packing, and digital campaigns targeted at children create demand for junk foods, fast food, and sugary drinks. The rise in food marketing is directly proportional to childhood obesity. Children are exposed to a greater volume of marketing for unhealthy foods each day. A study conducted across 22 countries found that for every one advertisement for healthy foods, four advertisements were promoting unhealthy foods. This disparity is even greater in high-income countries like the United States and the United Kingdom. From 2011 to 2016, street food sales grew by 113% in India(lower-income countries also seeing a rapid rise). With the increase in mobiles, food marketers have direct access to precisely target children with ads. Without effective regulation, the children cannot escape. So, the World Health Organization urges countries to end childhood obesity by using proven approaches. That is to promote better nutrition and to regulate the marketing of unhealthy food to children.
Poverty and malnutrition go hand-in-hand
The root cause of malnutrition is poverty and equity. Children who live in low-income countries are more likely to be malnourished. The cycle of poverty and malnutrition is haunting people for generations. For example, A mother who is underweight or anemic is more likely to have a child who is stunted. The child will be less likely to grow up strong and healthy, economic opportunities. As a result, that child is more likely to remain in poverty. More likely to be malnourished, and more likely to have stunted children, too.
Proper food and a balanced diet are the foundation for children's health. As youth, we have a responsibility to eradicate malnutrition for the upcoming generation.
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