More than half of the world's undernourished people live in Asia — 418 million. The number of hungry people in Africa represents more than one-third of the world's undernourished. That's over 282 million people who experience hunger, more than double the proportion by population of any other region in the world.
Africa South of the Sahara and South Asia are the regions with the highest hunger levels and are most vulnerable to future shocks and crises.
Young children, adolescents and women who are pregnant or breastfeeding are the most vulnerable to the malnutrition known as 'undernutrition'. Here is why: their bodies have a greater need for nutrients, such as vitamins and minerals.
tiredness or low energy levels. reduced ability to perform everyday tasks like showering, getting dressed or cooking. reduced muscle strength – for example, not being able to walk as far or as fast as usual. changes in mood which might cause feelings of lethargy and depression.
Summary+ South Asia is home to 23% of the global population and has the largest prevalence of stunting in any region in the world. Severe acute malnutrition is a frequent cause of death in children under 5 globally.
More than half of the world's children impacted by wasting (26.9 million) live in South Asia. Of the three countries that are home to almost half (47.2%) of all stunted children, two are in Asia: India (46.6 million) and Pakistan (10.7 million).
Southeastern Africa, Asia Pacific, Northern Africa and Eastern Asia are also home to relatively large numbers of underweight children. Within these regions the territories with the largest populations of underweight children are: Ethiopia, Indonesia, Nigeria and China.
Women, infants, children, and adolescents are at particular risk of malnutrition. Optimizing nutrition early in life—including the 1000 days from conception to a child's second birthday—ensures the best possible start in life, with long-term benefits.
Lack of food is the most cause of malnutrition in the poorer and developing countries.
living alone and being socially isolated. having limited knowledge about nutrition or cooking. alcohol or drug dependency. low income or poverty.
Within communities, some families are at greater risk of malnutrition than others, and within families some members are at greater risk than others. Young children and pregnant and lactating women are the most vulnerable groups.
Without enough nutritious food to eat or the ability to absorb the right nutrients due to illness, children under five are at high risk of acute malnutrition which can lead to death - or if a child survives, can cause stunting, and impede mental and physical developmentlonger term.
Micronutrient malnutrition
Worldwide, deficiencies in iodine, Vitamin A, and iron are the most common. Children and pregnant women in low-income countries are at especially high risk for micronutrient deficiencies.
The underlying causes of malnutrition can be grouped under the three broad categories: inadequate household food security, inadequate care and inadequate health services and an unhealthy household environment, such as lack of access to safe water and effective sanitation.
Risk of overnutrition is increased by being more than 20 percent overweight or consuming a diet high in fat and salt. About 1 percent of children in the United States suffer from chronic malnutrition.
The term malnutrition refers to deficiencies, excesses, or imbalances in a person's intake of nutrients. Undernourishment occurs when someone is deficient in nutrients. This can lead to wasting – when a person faces severe acute malnutrition and is dangerously thin. Wasting is potentially life-threatening.
Global hunger crisis in 2023
After steadily declining for a decade, world hunger is on the rise, affecting nearly 10% of people globally. From 2019 to 2022, the number of undernourished people grew by as many as 150 million, a crisis driven largely by conflict, climate change, and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Women, infants, children and adolescents are at the highest risk of malnutrition. Optimizing nutrition early in life – including the 1000 days from conception to a child's second birthday – ensures the best possible start in life, with long-term benefits. Poverty amplifies the risk of, and risks from, malnutrition.
Obesity is defined as a paradoxical state of malnutrition, which despite excessive energy consumption is associated with a shortage of individual microelements.
In 2017-18, two thirds (67.0%) of Australians 18 years and over were overweight or obese. Slightly more than a third (35.6%) were overweight and slightly less than a third were obese (31.3%). Just under one third (31.7%) were within the healthy weight range and one percent (1.3%) were underweight.
slightly more than 9 in 20 (46% or 1.0 million) were overweight or obese, with 30% (or 676,700) overweight and 16% (or 347,300) obese. 4.3% (95,400) were underweight (Figure 1).
Iron deficiency is the most common form of micronutrient malnutrition globally, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).