What Makes Hunger a Serious Global Problem?

Most people living in the developed countries believe that hunger and starvation are problems that exist only in underdeveloped or third world countries, and there too only at a minor scale. But, this is not true. Hunger is a serious global problem that needs immediate attention.

Here are some facts that will help shed some light on the severity and scale of this problem.

Hunger kills more people than diseases – According to the statistics, every year, hunger kills more people than many diseases combined such as AIDS, and malaria. It may seem a small issue that only affects a few countries, but it is major problem for a significant portion of the world population. Many people do not realize the gravity of the situation and the suffering that hunger is causing worldwide.

Hunger and malnutrition are also responsible for nearly 45% of all deaths in children under the age of 5, every year. It is essential to understand the problem of malnutrition and take appropriate actions to solve it.

It is a vicious cycle – The hunger problem is not something that can be solved immediately. Many world hunger relief organizations are working in this direction. But, the less aware people are about this problem the longer it will take to bring an end to it. And until then it will continue to perpetuate a virtually inescapable cycle for many poor souls around the world.

An undernourished mother will give birth to a weak child. Without proper nutrition, these children will become the victims of malnutrition themselves and become easy prey for infections and diseases. Those that survive will pass down this curse to their children. This is the vicious cycle that needs to be ended to save the next generation by taking the necessary actions.

Developing countries are not the only one affected – It is a common belief that hunger problems exist only in the developing countries like African nations or poor Asian countries. But, this is a misconception. These problems are prominent in developed nations too, even in the USA. According to statistics, 14 percent of households in America were food insecure in the year of 2014.

These facts show that the problem of hunger and malnutrition is not as small or insignificant as many believe it to be. It is time to pay attention and take action against these problems whether it’s in your own country or on a world level.

Ending Child Malnutrition Can Help End World Hunger

Every year, millions die because of hunger. According to WFP (World Food Programme), 795 million people in the world do not have enough food to lead a healthy life and majority of people facing this problem live in developing countries.

Poor nutrition is another reason for the rising number of hunger related deaths of children. Statistics reveal that 45% of children aged 5 or below die an untimely death because of starvation.

And the children who manage to avoid this fatal fate have to suffer malnourishment and its harmful effects throughout their lives.

Undernourishment is not just the reason for the increasing number of child deaths but, also a major reason behind cognitive and physical impairment of many children for the rest of their lives.

Undernourishment has the further adverse effect of reducing immunity levels of children, making them more susceptible to infections and diseases.

This problem does not end here! In fact, undernourishment travels from generation to generation. An undernourished mother gives birth to an undernourished baby. Her incapability to feed the baby properly makes her child deficient in various minerals in the body.

Undernourishment also forces children to start work at an early age to earn their living, which affects their education. Working at a very small age puts adverse effect on their health, which leads to malnutrition and many health issues in later life.

Poverty leads to malnutrition which leads to an unhealthy life which further perpetuates poverty. This vicious cycle traps people living in dire economic straits.

Therefore in order to end child malnutrition and to succeed in ending world hunger, the economic conditions of these people need to be improved through government and public support.

Numerous organizations are working together to put an end to child malnutrition, which is a major reason behind world hunger. These organizations are trying different methods like distributing food packets, spreading awareness among mothers about benefits of nutritious diet etc.and slowly but surely their efforts are bearing fruits.

Do You Know The Myths About World Hunger?

Hunger is a situation where people are undernourished due to the lack of food consumption. This lack is usually caused by poverty and the absence of food justice in society. Regardless of the reasons, it is the poor people who suffer because of hunger problems.

However, not many people know a lot about these problems. In addition, there are many myths about hunger issues. Some of these myths are discussed below –

Myth 1 – It is a problem that exists only in developing countries – Most people believe that it is a problem that exists only in developing countries. But, hunger is a big issue even in the developed countries like United States. According to the facts, many Americans cannot afford food for themselves or their families.

Poverty is the main reason behind their struggle. Many U.S. citizens rely on a food bank for meals. a world hunger organization for help.

Myth 2 – Farmers are not a victim of these issues – It is a misconception among people that farmers do not endure the hunger problems. However, it is not true. Many small farmers work on others’ farms and fields. All the crops and money belong to the land’s owner. In the end, small farmers usually do not have enough money to afford meals for their families.

They may play an essential role in food production, but small farmers are also a victim of hunger issue.

Myth 3 – Lack of food is the main reason behind these problems – Many people believe that the lack of food causes hunger issues worldwide, which is not true. There is enough food to feed everyone in world. But, lots of food goes to waste due to improper distribution. On the other hand, many individuals cannot even afford eatables due to poverty and lack of income.

Myth 4 – Forests have nothing to do with the world hunger – Forests and these issues are two different things in many people’s opinions. But, forests can play an essential role in ending these problems. Woods can provide nutritious food items for individual who cannot purchase processed eatables.

It is vital to quell these myths with facts and information, so that more actions are taken in the direction of solving hunger problems.

What Can Be Your Contribution In Ending The World Hunger Problem?

Hunger is the most serious issue that the world is facing today. It is affecting a number of lives across the globe, therefore it demands immediate and serious attention. Although, it is the duty of the government and different NGO’s to handle this serious problem but along with this, as a fellow human it is your responsibility too. You too can contribute a lot in ending the world hunger.

Here are some of the steps that you can follow to end this major problem- 

Participate in hunger awareness campaigns- The best you can do is to participate in different activities that work on ending the world hunger problem. You can participate in their workshops, seminars etc.  Moreover, you can also encourage your friends and family members to take part in different activities that are organized to end the hunger problem.

Financial help- If it is not possible for you to be a member of any organization due to your busy schedule, you can financially help the people in need. You can easily find a number of hunger organizations that work for solving the world hunger problem. You can donate some o your income to these organizations that will make sure to provide some nutritious food to all the people in need with the help of your donation. However, you can also donate food if you want. Apart from this, there are many different organizations who take help form celebrities to raise awareness about this problem and raise money to support their act.

Increasing awareness about the problem- In addition, you can also help in increasing awareness about the hunger problem so that people can understand the seriousness of the problem and can take necessary action. You can also educate the children about this problem and encourage other people to contribute with the help they can offer.

Work directly-If you do not wish to involve in an organization or support financially, you can work directly with the people that require food or any other help. You can provide the food items or any sort of financial help to the people in need.