Hunger and Obesity as Symptoms of Non-Sustainable Food Systems and Malnutrition

Abstract

Among the great challenges the world faces are how to ensure food security for its growing population—projected to rise to around 10 billion by 2050—so it can meet their nutritional needs for a healthy life. Current regulations and literature on food security mainly focus on food quantity (i.e., portion sizes), daily calorie intake and methods for increasing food production and too little on food and diet quality and the holistic effects of (mal)nutrition. From a systems perspective, in order to promote innovation policies for more sustainable food systems, food security cannot be viewed independently; rather, it is characterized by the interplay of an extensive network of economic, environmental and social dimensions that should all be taken into account in a comprehensive resilient and sustainable global food system. Here, we highlight one aspect of this vast network that we consider a particular challenge—yet also a great opportunity—for innovative policies geared toward more sustainable food systems: the interplay of hunger and obesity, including resulting policy strategies beyond potential efficiency improvements in farming practices. Future studies need to emphasize the importance of an in-depth understanding of the interdependencies within the global food system and its interrelatedness with societal and natural systems as part of coupled human-environment systems and in the face of continuing population growth and food demand globally. Recommended strategies for achieving sustainable food security systems include innovative educational approaches and stakeholder-driven innovation policies based on mutual learning processes between society, science, industry and policymakers, as well as fostering increased responsibility of all members of society along the agriculture and food value chain.

High-Temperature and Drought Stress Effects on Growth, Yield and Nutritional Quality with Transpiration Response to Vapor Pressure Deficit in Lentil

“…Highly nutritional genotypes have been developed through genetic biofortification in lentil [ 14 ], chickpea [ 15 ] and wheat [ 16 ], helping to minimize micronutrient deficiencies substantially in recent decades. However, the increase in the world population to around 10 billion by 2050 will further escalate malnutrition [ 17 , 18 ], and more efforts will be required to meet the human population’s nutritional needs for a healthy life. Enhancing the production of lentil would support food and nutritional security and improve the livelihoods of resource-poor farmers in developing nations.…”

Eat Well to Fight Obesity… and Save Water: The Water Footprint of Different Diets and Caloric Intake and Its Relationship With Adiposity

“…In this regard, overconsumption must be closely analyzed since, besides being the main cause of obesity ( 12 ), this could be an important environmental impact generator in food systems ( 78 ). The reference dietary guideline for Mexico ( 79 ) recommends an average caloric intake for the adult population of 2,188 Kcal p −1 d −1 .…”

Sustainable Agri-Food Systems: Environment, Economy, Society, and Policy

“…Indeed, different socio-economic (e.g., poverty, inadequate diets, hunger and malnutrition, social inequalities) and environmental (e.g., climate change, water scarcity, land degradation, biodiversity loss) challenges are strongly affected by the way food is produced, handled, processed, distributed, prepared, and consumed [15,16]. On the one hand, current food systems generate adverse outcomes and, on the other hand, fail to eradicate hunger and malnutrition, especially in the Global South [16][17][18][19]. The failures and vulnerabilities of the current global agri-food system have been particularly manifest during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic [20,21], which affected food supply chains, food environments, and consumption patterns alike [22][23][24][25].…”