The Hungry and Overweight Paradox

In reality, hunger and overweight are interrelated, affecting millions of children and adults, which is a paradox that threatens the health of our children.

In the United States, one in eight US households is food insecurity that includes 13 million children. "The influence of food insecurity is very serious, and children who can not get enough nutritious foods are prone to learning difficulties, behavioral problems, anxiety, obesity," Occupational Health Institute "Says Dr. Lauri Wright. Spokesperson of nutrition dietary department. "Adults who do not have adequate nutritious foods are prone to mental health problems, chronic diseases such as obesity and diabetes."

In the United States, poverty and unemployment are the main factors leading to food insecurity. African Americans, Latin Americans, children, elderly and people living in rural areas are at high risk of food insecurity

More than 42 million Americans are not food insecurity. Due to these dynamics, individuals often choose cheaper and more calorie foods. This may be lacking the healthy and nutritious food that the overweight children need.

"Overweight does not mean good nutrition," Wright said. "For example, you can purchase soda in low-income households, it may cost $ 1 instead of milk in 2 liters and $ 4 per gallon in 2 liters."

"Because of its expertise, nutrition and nutrition colleges will be an important part of the solution," Wright said. "Registered dietician nutritionist can design evidence-based intervention to treat and prevent obesity and obesity related diseases." Academy and its member countries proactively advocate policies to support food aid programs doing.

It is attractive to ask family members to receive food aid, but what if they are really hungry? The answer says, "This contradiction, that is, both starvation and obesity are both sides of the same coin," said Melissa Boteha, deputy director of the Center for Poverty and Prosperity at the American Progressive Center. "For many hungry people in the United States, the extra weight caused by bad meals is incidental damage - an unexpected side effect of starvation itself.

According to statistics, each hungry person has about two obese people. All forms of malnutrition such as malnutrition, micronutrient deficiency, overweight / obesity are increasing. The recently announced Global Nutrition Report 2017 shows that 88% of countries face the serious burden of two or three forms of malnutrition, malnutrition, micronutrient deficiency or overweight / obesity . There is also evidence that people experiencing malnutrition as a child are more likely to be overweight as adults. Even with this double or triple burden, achieving the sustainable development goal (SDG) becomes more difficult.

Over one third of the world's population, over 1 billion people are obese or overweight, most of them are in developing countries. More importantly, these countries are struggling to address what health professionals call "double burden of malnutrition", ie, malnutrition and overnutrition. Therefore, some people feel hungry, but others are obese and overweight, and are more likely to suffer from chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and hypertension. Studies published in the Lancet magazine in October by the Health Indices Indicators Association showed that the high body mass index is the fourth most important risk factor for disability and death in the world. According to the International Diabetes Federation, the number of diabetic patients in developing countries will grow the most rapidly in the world, from 415 million in 2015 to 642 million in 2040.