World Hunger Facts

The meaning of poverty and how we help eradicate.

Hunger occurs when individuals experience severe food insecurity—going entire days without food due to a lack of money, access to food, or other essential resources.
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Below are definitions of key terms related to hunger:

Hunger: According to the United Nations, hunger refers to periods when people experience severe food insecurity—meaning they go without eating for entire days due to a lack of money, access to food, or other resources.
Food Insecurity: A condition where people do not have reliable access to enough affordable, nutritious food to live an active and healthy life. This can range from occasional to chronic hunger.
Malnutrition: A condition resulting from an insufficient or unbalanced diet, leading to deficiencies, excesses, or imbalances in nutrient intake. This includes undernutrition (insufficient food intake) and overnutrition (excessive intake, often leading to obesity).
Chronic Hunger: Ongoing, long-term hunger that results from continuous food insecurity and leads to serious health risks, particularly in children.

What happens when people have economic struggle?

Extended periods of food insecurity can result in malnutrition, a condition where the body doesn’t receive the essential vitamins, minerals, and nutrients necessary for proper health.

Malnutrition is a complex issue that can take various forms, including:

Wasting (Acute Malnutrition): This occurs when a person is significantly too thin for their height. It can develop rapidly, often as a result of a sudden hunger crisis, or gradually over time due to ongoing food insecurity. While it is treatable, moderate to severe cases present a heightened risk of death.
Stunting (Chronic Malnutrition): This condition occurs when a child is significantly shorter than the average height for their age. It typically results from a lack of access to diverse, nutritious foods, contaminated water, or inadequate healthcare. Stunted growth can lead to lifelong physical and cognitive impairments, affecting a child’s overall development and potential.
Micronutrient Deficiencies: This occurs when the body is lacking essential vitamins or minerals—such as iron, iodine, folate, vitamin A, or zinc—that are crucial for healthy growth and development. These deficiencies can lead to a variety of health issues, including weakened immune function, impaired cognitive abilities, and stunted growth.
‍Being Overweight: This occurs when a person’s weight is too high for their height. A poor diet, often high in unhealthy foods, can contribute to becoming overweight, which increases the risk of diet-related non-communicable diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers, later in life.