From energy deficit to surplus – Where do we stand? Where do we go?

Did you know?

• Worldwide, malnutrition is the number one risk factor for sickness and deaths – greater than the risks of unsafe sex, alcohol, drug and tobacco use taken together¹.
• Of the world’s population, one person in three is malnourished, i.e. either undernourished (dietary energy deficit), overweight or obese (dietary energy surplus), or micronutrient deficient².
• Undernutrition affects a staggering 25% of the world’s children and 10% of the overall population¹.

• Of all children under the age of five, 23% (155 million) are stunted or chronically undernourished (low height-for-age), and 8% (52 million) are wasted or moderately acutely malnourished (low weight-for-age)¹, whereas 6% (41 million) are overweight² ³.
• Among the world’s adult population, 39% are overweight and 13% are obese³, and more than 50 % of the world’s obese live in the following 8 countries: USA, China, India, Russia, Brazil, Mexico, Egypt, and Germany².
• The global prevalence of overweight and obesity is on the rise and, already now, more people are obese than underweight³.
• Although the worldwide hunger rate has fallen in the past 25 years, no country has ever successfully reversed growth of obesity once it has been allowed to develop².

These are the hard facts worldwide – now where do you stand in your own life? Let’s talk about it!

Dr. Katarina Melzer