The World Famine and Obesity Paradox

Asst. Prof. Dr. Murat Doğan's new article has been published in the Journal of Food Taste titled "The Paradox of Famine and Obesity in the World". In his article, Doğan touched upon issues such as ecological problems, famine, and obesity due to climate change and global warming.

Asst. Prof. Dr. Murat Doğan;

What awaits us in the next 50 years in terms of our food? First of all, I think it is useful to answer this question.

I think the most reliable way to predict the future is to focus on the present. Every thought begins in the now. The right thing is to be able to decide how the events going on in the present will shape the future without getting lost in the details.

We know that a war broke out in Ukraine recently. For this reason, it is predicted that the production of basic food such as wheat will decrease by half. This development will adversely affect Ukraine's wheat exports, and it is likely that the global food supply, which is in crisis due to the pandemic, will be further endangered.

There are wars and related migrations that prevent the equitable distribution of food all over the world. In addition, there are other reasons, which also result in food shortages. Yes, ecological problems are increasing due to global warming and climate change. Drought is increasing rapidly. The balance of biodiversity is disturbed. Obtaining and accessing food is becoming more difficult. Worse still, there is an increase in the use of agricultural products, which are not sufficient for nutrition, as biofuels by developed countries.

What kind of crises and risks awaits us in terms of food in the next 50 years? Let's talk a little bit about them.

Recently, the US National Academy of Sciences reported that a one-degree increase in the world average temperature will result in a 10 percent decrease in wheat, rice, and corn production. According to the reports prepared by the United Nations, it is predicted that thirst and drought will affect hundreds of millions of people in Africa and Latin America within 50 years. According to the same reports, water shortages will begin in many regions and it is estimated that 10 million people will suffer from water shortages in Peru. The possible consequences of these reports are emphasized that the seas will rise by five meters, the world's food stocks will be depleted, and hundreds of millions of people will emigrate in the hope of living in suitable climatic conditions. It is estimated that climate change will adversely affect food production in the next 50 years. The decrease in the amount of water used in agriculture, the loss of soil due to the rise of sea level, and the increase in the amount of salt in the soil will be inevitable results. It is also reported that there will be a decrease in seafood products depending on the rise in sea level and the change in water temperature.

It has been determined that wheat, barley, and corn yields decreased between 1980 and 2020 due to global warming. Food production in Brazil, South East Asian countries, China, and African countries are decreasing due to global climate change. Some of the arable land in the world, especially in Africa, is reserved for biofuel production. Many developed countries are buying their land for biofuel production, which can cure Africa's hunger. For example, China bought 2.8 million hectares of land for biofuel production in Congo. While hundreds of children die every day as a result of famine and hunger in Africa, it is a pity that African people covet their land, and therefore their bread, to fill the fuel tanks of the latest model cars.

The price of foodstuffs, whose supply is decreasing as an inevitable result, is increasing all over the world. This means the danger of starvation and famine in poor countries. People who devote almost all of their income to nutrition and work to make a profit are starving due to the biofuel appetite of rich countries. 798 million of the 842 million people in the world who cannot reach enough food live in underdeveloped countries. Six million children under the age of five die each year from starvation. According to the latest data, one out of every nine people in the world struggles with hunger. Hunger rates in the world have been increasing since the mid-1990s, and the number of poor people in Africa has quadrupled in the last decade. According to the United Nations, the reasons for this increase are; wrong agricultural policies, the increasing global economic crisis since 2008, and the resulting excessive increase in food prices. A person's daily nutritional need is 2,500 calories on average, and the world agriculture sector currently produces 2,720 calories per person per day. These data are proof that despite all the disasters and crises, there is enough food in the world to feed everyone. This is an indication that agricultural products are not distributed fairly in the world and that it is the biggest factor in the world hunger problem. While nearly two billion people in the world are fighting the problem of hunger, it is a really big paradox that so many people are struggling with obesity.

The number of wars around the world has increased markedly in the last 10 years. The majority of these conflicts took place in countries where access to healthy food was problematic. This situation hinders food production and accessibility. However, nutritional disorders and related diseases caused by hunger and famine continue to affect societies, especially children and the elderly. Today, the number of children under the age of five who have growth disorders due to malnutrition in the world is 155 million, which corresponds to 23 percent of the world's child population. On the other hand, there are 641 million adult obese people in the world, which is around 13 percent of the world's population. The obesity rate in the world population has increased two and a half times since 1980. The obesity problem is most common in North American and European countries, which are in the high-income group. Approximately 28 percent of the adult population living in these regions is obese, and this increase causes diabetes, high blood pressure, and cardiovascular diseases, increases the health care costs of countries, and decreases the quality of life of the individual. Finally, you can ask me why you think so much about this issue. The following can be said. It is because such an important issue has not been brought up enough. As a result; I can say that famine, hunger, and obesity are a problem that must be tackled simultaneously. In addition, our world needs strategic food systems to successfully combat famine, hunger, and obesity.

I plan to elaborate further in my next articles. 

We congratulate asst. Prof. Dr. Murat Doğan and wish him success in his work.