Earlier this month, about 3,000 of the world’s leading experts on nutrition met at the International Congress of Nutrition, which convenes every four years. The message that organisers want to spread this year is that, while food security is a critical issue, so is nutrition security.
Most people think of malnutrition as not having enough to eat. However, equally dangerous is “hidden hunger” – a lack of sufficient micronutrients, which are the vitamins and minerals that support physical and mental health. Under-nutrition is thought to affect more than 2bn people globally, giving rise to a multitude of medical ailments. Lack of sufficient vitamins and minerals leaves people more susceptible to simple illnesses such as diarrhoea. Under-nutrition stunts growth and increases risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
