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Malnutrition

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MALNUTRITION
What is the problem?
Malnutrition : a condition that results from eating a diet in which nutrients are not enough or are too much such that it causes health problems and may sometimes lead to death. It is often used specifically to refer to undernutrition where there is not enough calories, protein or micronutrients; however, it also includes overnutrition.
Approximately half of the people on Earth, about 3.5 billion people, are victims of malnutrition and it is considered the largest single contributor to disease in the world, according to the UN's Standing Committee on Nutrition (SCN). Malnutrition is a global problem that affects not only developing countries but developed ones as well. In the United States alone, the annual cost for illnesses linked to hunger, malnutrition and food insecurity is $130.5 billion with only $17.8 billion of charitable contributions devoted to addressing these issues. Often thought of as undernourishment in the sense of not getting enough food, malnutrition is the lack of proper nutrients in a person’s diet that contributes to health problems. This means that individuals can be getting enough to eat but are not consuming the daily requirements of calories, protein or micronutrients.
● The global food system is broken. In total around 3.5 billion people — half the people on the planet today — are malnourished
● ­ 2.3 million children die every year due to malnutrition
● Largest single contributor to disease in the world, according to the UN's Standing Committee on
Nutrition (SCN)
● Iodine deficiency is the world's greatest single cause of mental retardation and brain damage
● Countries lose 2­3% of their GDP as a result of malnutrition
Why choose this problem?
The annual cost of malnutrition or its threat to US(i.e. “food insecurity) includes:
● $130.5 billion: Illness costs linked to hunger,malnutrition and

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