For the third consecutive year, the tide has turned in the wrong direction in the global fight against hunger. An estimated 820 million people lacked sufficient food in 2018, an increase from 811 million the previous year, according to a report from the United Nations.
This troubling trend marks a significant setback, creating what the annual State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World report calls an "immense challenge" to achieving the Sustainable Development Goal of Zero Hunger by 2030. The data reveals a world struggling with a dual burden: while hundreds of millions are undernourished, the report also notes that obesity continues to grow globally.
This paradox of concurrent hunger and obesity highlights a worldwide crisis in nutrition and food systems. It underscores that access to calories is not the same as access to healthy, nourishing food.
The Digital Health Response
At Medicup, we see these global trends reflected in the health of individuals. The rise in both undernutrition and obesity places enormous strain on healthcare systems and, more importantly, on the lives of patients. Conditions linked to poor nutrition—from developmental issues in children to chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease in adults—are precisely where accessible, preventative care can make a difference.
Digital health platforms provide a vital link. Through telehealth, providers can offer crucial nutritional counseling, manage chronic conditions remotely, and provide support to patients in underserved areas who may lack access to specialized care. By equipping clinicians with comprehensive EMRs and AI-powered tools, we empower them to better identify and address the health consequences of these powerful nutritional trends, one patient at a time.
Source: World Health Organization