Stories by John Oba
Abuja
The Food and Agricultural Organisation, (FAO), has stated that world leaders would need to take action to build healthy and sustainable food system in order to end malnutrition as some 1.9 billion people are currently overweight, of whom 600 million are obese.
The organisation further stated that some 159 million children under the age of five are stunted having low height for their age while another 50 million children in that age bracket are wasted as they have low weight compared to their height.
The FAO Director-General, José Graziano da Silva, said this at the just concluded United Nations General Assembly to celebrate the ‘Decade of Action on Nutrition.’
Da Silva said between now and 2025 will be a critical time for action to build healthy and sustainable food systems and end malnutrition in all its forms.
He said one in three people worldwide amounting about 2.5 billion people suffers from at least one form of malnutrition, ranging from hunger to obesity or a lack of critical nutrients.
He revealed further that FAO has developed a work plan focused on the promotion of healthy food and healthy diets through nutritional education and the transformation of food systems.
“And there is a gender dimension to this, too. Malnutrition continues to disproportionately affect women and girls, who often forgo food for male family members or lack the income to secure adequate nutrition for themselves. Estimates suggest that maternal and child undernutrition alone cost up to 11 percent of GDP, as malnutrition in early life often results in ill health in adulthood.
