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Hunger, obesity and inequality on the rise in the C’bean – UN report

Nov 12, 2018 News

 

The number of people chronically hungry, obese or overweight has increased in Latin America and the Caribbean.
That’s according to a new United Nations report, which also stated that hunger, malnutrition, lack of micronutrients and obesity largely affect lower income families, women, indigenous communities, Afro-descendants and rural families.
The report says that the principle causes of malnutrition among the most vulnerable can be traced back to changes the food systems have experienced in the region, from production to consumption. With a greater strain on the demand for nutrient-rich food like milk and meats, the report says many resort to less costly options, which are often higher in fat, sugar and salt.
Maria Cristina Perceval, who serves at the regional director for UNICEF in the region, said “stunting correlates closely to inequality and poverty levels.”
She underscored that lower income families have unequal access to healthy diets.
Nearly one in four adults are obese and more than seven percent of children below the age of five are overweight – higher than the global average of 5.6 per cent, the report states.
To address the exacerbation of hunger and obesity, PAHO Director Dr. Carissa Etienne, added that the solution requires addressing social factors, just as well as water quality and access to health services.
In response to growing malnutrition, the UN said partner authors on the report have called on countries to implement public policies that combat inequality, while promoting health and sustainable food systems.
The UN Food and Agriculture Organization’s (FAO), the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Food Programme (WFP), explore strategies to halt the health threats posed by hunger and malnutrition in Latin America and the Caribbean.

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