Team:SDU-Denmark/Tour21

Facts and Statistics

The world without Edible coli

A World Wide Problem

805 million people suffered from undernourishment in 2012-2014. This makes a total of 11.24%, or more than every ninth person in the entire world. Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 2014: Hunger Statistics. (Link)

Figure 1: Earths total biocapacity vs. the Ecological Footprint of humanity, as a function of time. Source: WWF, Living Planet Report 2012: Biodiversity, biocapacity and better chioces. P. 40. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations define undernourishment as a state, lasting for at least one year, of inability to acquire enough food, defined as a level of food intake, insufficient to meet dietary energy requirement. Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 2014: Basic definitions. (Link) Undernourishment is mostly seen in developing countries, e.g. many African countries, where the PPP (Purchasing Power Parity per capita) is very low, compared with e.g. European countries. Source: Central intelligence Agency, 2014: The World Factbook. (Link) We in fact already produce enough food worldwide to feed every person with at least 2720 calories per day. Source: World Hunger, 2013: 2013 World Hunger and Poverty Facts and Statistics. (Link) But many people have too little income or no land to cultivate them, which makes them unable to produce enough food. Charitable organizations are working hard against the hunger problem in especially Africa, Latin America, and South-East Asia, Source: Save the Children, 2014: Where do we work. (Link) but a lack of money and resources, poor infrastructures and war make it a nearly insoluble problem.

Figure 2: The total of Earth's biocapacity consumed by humanity, as a function of time. Source: WWF, Living Planet Report 2012: Biodiversity, biocapacity and better chioces. P. 38. Right now, the world's population is about 7 billion people and grows by 1.2% per year, which means that we will be twice as many people in the world in about 58 years. Source: Population media Center, 2009: Issue we Address. (Link) Our food production cannot cover the needs of so many people, and it is unlikely that we will be able to produce enough meat, without worsening the living conditions of the animals. This forces us to find alternative food sources.

In addition to this, people of the Earth consume more than the total biocapacity, that can be regenerated from renewable resources in the same time span. The Ecological Footprint of humanity is defined as the sum of the areas needed for biologically productive land and/or fishing grounds to supply resources for the human population’s consumption, and to assimilate associated waste. This has exceeded the biocapacity available since the 1970’s, as shown in figure 1. In 2008, the total biocapacity of the Earth was 12.0 billion gha, and thus 1.8 gha per person. In contrast to this, the total Ecological Footprint was 18.2 billion gha, and thus 2.7 gha per person. This ecological overshoot means that it takes the Earth around 1.5 years to generate the renewable resources. In other words we are consuming the biocapacity of 1.5 planet Earths every year, shown in figure 2, and this means that the biocapacity has decreased and will continue to do so. Source: WWF, Living Planet Report 2012: Biodiversity, biocapacity and better chioces. P. 38-40. (Link)

Figure 3: Contribution of carbohydrates in total dietary consumption.

Figure 4: Contribution of protein in total dietary consumption.

Figure 5: Contribution of fats in total dietary consumption.

What do we eat?

Figure 3 shows the contribution of carbohydrates in total dietary consumption in the world. WHO recommends a minimum of 55% of carbohydrates in the daily diet, but they also caution that a daily intake of more than 75% can lead to health problems. Source: FAO/WHO Expert Consultation: Carbohydrates in the human nutrition. FAO Food and Nutrition Paper, 1997. Vol. 66: Carbohydrates in the diet. (Link) Figure 3 shows that the proportional intake of carbohydrates is very high in Africa, with more than 60% daily intake in all countries, and an intake of more than 75% in six countries. In addition, many high-income countries, like the United States of America, United Kingdom or France, Source: The World Bank, 2014: GNI per Capita, Atlas method (current US$). (Link) have a very low intake of carbohydrates, with less than 50%.

Figure 4 shows the contribution of proteins in total dietary consumption in the world. 10-20% proteins per day are recommended by WHO, Source: WHO/FAO/UNU Expert Consultation: Protein and Amino Acid Requirement in Human Nutrition. WHO Technical Report Series, 2007. Vol. 935. (Link) but as it is seen in figure 4, protein intake is very low, with less than 16% daily consumption worldwide, and under 10% in many African countries.

Figure 5 shows the consumption of fats in total dietary consumption in the world. A daily intake of more than 35 % fats can lead to massive overweight and diseases like cancer. In addition, a daily intake of less than 20 % can lead to vitamin deficiency. Source: FAO Expert Consultation: Fats and fatty acids in human nutrition. FAO Food and Nutrition Paper, 2010. Vol. 91: p. 11-12. (Link) Figure 5 shows that many countries in Africa, South-East Asia and Latin America have a daily intake of less than 20 % fats, while other countries, like USA, UK and France have a intake higher than 35 %.

It is important to note that even if the dietary ratio between carbohydrates, proteins and fats is as recommended, people may still not eat enough calories per day, and therefore still be undernourished. As an example, Congo has a distribution of 80% carbohydrates, 14% fats, and 6% protein. This shows that people in Congo eat comparatively too much carbohydrates, and insufficient amounts of protein and fats. In contrast, USA has a contribution of 49% carbohydrates, 38% fats, and 12% protein. This contribution has too little carbohydrates and way too many fats, and as mentioned above, even a harmful amount of fats. But as in Congo, people in USA eat very little protein which is fairly poor.

Overall, the three figures show that many countries in Africa, South-East Asia, and Latin America have carbohydrates as their primary food source, while they eat too little protein and fats compared to the recommended amount. This might be because of their low income, as carbohydrates are less expensive and often the only available food source. Source: FAO: Chapter 7 - Food, nutrients and diets. (Link)

In contrast, high-income countries that have access to all food sources also have a wrong composition of carbohydrates, proteins and fats. It is unknown why people who have the choice, don’t eat the recommended amount of the food sources. It might be that these people don’t spend much time on cooking and make the easy choice of eating fast food instead, which is rich in fats.

Developing countries have many problems with undernourishment, but the entire world has a problem with malnourishment.