Looking at data from 129 countries, the Global Nutrition Report 2016 has stated that obesity is fuelling a rise in malnutrition around the world, concerning health organisations.
According to the data, obesity and under-nutrition in 44 per cent of countries has been described as being at “very serious levels”.
Worryingly, this represents one in three people being classed as suffering from malnutrition, a condition which is often associated purely with starvation and being thin, but actually includes being overweight and obese.
Professor Corinna Hawkes, co-chair of the research, said: “Malnutrition literally means bad nutrition – that’s anyone who isn’t adequately nourished. You have outcomes like you are too thin, you’re not growing fast enough… or it could mean that you’re overweight or you have high blood sugar, which leads to diabetes.”
Diabetes and other health conditions are often linked to obesity, and therefore a great deal of attention should be spent on slowing, and reversing, the growing levels of obesity in the world.
Although progress is being made, primarily in dealing with those who fall under the under-eating side of the spectrum, more needs to be done, the report says.
Hundreds of millions of people around the world are malnourished, and the report wants more to be done by governments. They claim that for every $1 spent on successful nutrition programs, it will result in $16 worth of benefits.
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