Only three countries show no serious signs of malnutrition: China, Vietnam and South Korea, according to the 2016 Global Nutrition Report. The rest of the world is plagued by such poor nutrition indicators as “stunted toddlers, anemic young women and obese adults,” says The New York Times. In the United States, each obese family member costs families an average of 8 percent of their income in additional healthcare.
But it isn’t simply too much food or too little that triggers malnutrition. The report points out that poor sanitation (which causes diarrhea), low breastfeeding rates and foods that lack necessary nutrients like iron, vitamin A, and folic acid all contribute to the problem. And yet, improving a country’s nutrition does more than protect individuals. In economic terms, every $1 spent on improving a baby’s diet in order to prevent physical and mental disease eventually saves a country $16.
The report’s researchers were selected by the International Food Policy Research Institute in Washington, D.C., which will be highlighting the findings at an event today, with remarks by government officials and stakeholder organizations. IFPR will also host release events at six other cities around the world later in the week.