Malnutrition affects all nations. While two billion people suffer from one or more micronutrient deficiencies, obesity rates have doubled over the past 30 years. Some 1.4 billion people are overweight, and 500 million obese.
Malnourished children are limited in reaching their full potential in school, affecting their future job and income opportunities, and so perpetuating a cycle of poverty. At the same time, rates of overweight and obesity continue to rise, increasing the risk of non-communicable diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, some cancers and osteoarthritis, posing a significant threat to public health.
Malnutrition is a public issue — it has serious effects on the entire population, both on national health systems and on the cultural, social and economic fabric of nations.
