Wednesday, March 2, 2011

What in the world...?

3/2/11


Earlier posts have addressed  food waste, food banks, and community kitchens here at home......  While we overweight  "Westerners" sit on our over-stuffed couches gobbling down potato chips and junk food, almost two million of our sisters and brothers around the globe are dying each year from starvation. 

The tragic irony is that there is more than enough to go around. 

Consistent with Free the Food's intent to educate by presenting statistics and links to their sources:




"Children are the most visible victims of undernutrition.  Children who are poorly nourished suffer up to 160 days of illness each year. Poor nutrition plays a role in at least half of the 10.9 million child deaths each year--five million deaths.  Undernutrition magnifies the effect of every disease, including measles and malaria. The estimated proportions of deaths in which undernutrition is an underlying cause are roughly similar for diarrhea (61%), malaria (57%), pneumonia (52%), and measles (45%) (Black 2003, Bryce 2005). Malnutrition can also be caused by diseases, such as the diseases that cause diarrhea, by reducing the body's ability to convert food into usable nutrients.

Students get a hot lunch at a school in Beri, India. Photo: Ben Arnoldy/Christian Science Monitor

The world produces enough food to feed everyone. World agriculture produces 17 percent more calories per person today than it did 30 years ago, despite a 70 percent population increase. This is enough to provide everyone in the world with at least 2,720 kilocalories per person per day (FAO 2002, p.9).  The principal problem is that many people in the world do not have sufficient land to grow, or income to purchase, enough food."
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For a real eye opener, go to:  http://www.stopthehunger.com/   
The last time I looked, Stop the Hunger displayed a real time update on world undernourishment  and obesity........  As of 5:30 PM EST on March 2, 2011........!!
"Current world population: 6,907,499,130 (and increasing  every fraction of a second)
Current undernourished people in the world:  1,032,378,117
Current overweight people in the world:  1,160,525,331 
People who died of hunger today:  20,861
People who died of hunger this year:  1,731,597"
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Well boys and girls, have a happy meal!!!


















Thanks again for reading Free the Food........ Pass it on.

Arthur

1 comment:

  1. Beautiful blog. Keep up the good work and connect
    those who have too much and those in need. Say hello to Rob

    ReplyDelete