The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2018. Building climate resilience for food security and nutrition
Publication year
Resource type
UNCCD Library
Material Type
ebook
ISBN
978-92-5-130571-3
821 million people now hungry and over 150 million children stunted, putting hunger eradication goal at risk
New evidence continues to signal that the number of hungry people in the world is growing, reaching 821 million in 2017 or one in every nine people, according to The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2018 released today. Limited progress is also being made in addressing the multiple forms of malnutrition, ranging from child stunting to adult obesity, putting the health of hundreds of millions of people at risk.
Hunger has been on the rise over the past three years, returning to levels from a decade ago. This reversal in progress sends a clear warning that more must be done and urgently if the Sustainable Development Goal of Zero Hunger is to be achieved by 2030.
The situation is worsening in South America and most regions of Africa, while the decreasing trend in undernourishment that characterized Asia seems to be slowing down significantly.
The annual UN report found that climate variability affecting rainfall patterns and agricultural seasons, and climate extremes such as droughts and floods, are among the key drivers behind the rise in hunger, together with conflict and economic slowdowns.
Key facts and figures
Number of hungry people in the world in 2017: 821 million or 1 in every 9 people
• in Asia: 515 million
• in Africa: 256.5 million
• in Latin America and the Caribbean: 39 million
Children under 5 affected by stunting (low height-for-age): 150.8 million (22.2%)
Children under 5 affected by wasting (low weight-for-height): 50.5 million (7.5%)
Children under 5 who are overweight (high weight-for-height): 38.3 million (5.6%)
Percentage of women of reproductive age affected by anaemia: 32.8%
Percentage of infants aged below 6 months who were exclusively breastfed: 40.7%
Adults who are obese: 672 million (13% or 1 in 8 adults)
New evidence continues to signal that the number of hungry people in the world is growing, reaching 821 million in 2017 or one in every nine people, according to The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2018 released today. Limited progress is also being made in addressing the multiple forms of malnutrition, ranging from child stunting to adult obesity, putting the health of hundreds of millions of people at risk.
Hunger has been on the rise over the past three years, returning to levels from a decade ago. This reversal in progress sends a clear warning that more must be done and urgently if the Sustainable Development Goal of Zero Hunger is to be achieved by 2030.
The situation is worsening in South America and most regions of Africa, while the decreasing trend in undernourishment that characterized Asia seems to be slowing down significantly.
The annual UN report found that climate variability affecting rainfall patterns and agricultural seasons, and climate extremes such as droughts and floods, are among the key drivers behind the rise in hunger, together with conflict and economic slowdowns.
Key facts and figures
Number of hungry people in the world in 2017: 821 million or 1 in every 9 people
• in Asia: 515 million
• in Africa: 256.5 million
• in Latin America and the Caribbean: 39 million
Children under 5 affected by stunting (low height-for-age): 150.8 million (22.2%)
Children under 5 affected by wasting (low weight-for-height): 50.5 million (7.5%)
Children under 5 who are overweight (high weight-for-height): 38.3 million (5.6%)
Percentage of women of reproductive age affected by anaemia: 32.8%
Percentage of infants aged below 6 months who were exclusively breastfed: 40.7%
Adults who are obese: 672 million (13% or 1 in 8 adults)
Keywords
rural poverty
social protection
agriculture
hunger and poverty
drought
children
food insecurity
malnutrition
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