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)

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, like 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) In fact, there is enough food, as we in total, worldwide, produce enough to feed everyone 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 grow, which makes enough food out of reach for them. 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 lack of money and resources, poor infrastructures, and war make it a nearly insoluble problem.

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 therefore unlikely that we will be able to produce enough meat, without worsening the animals living conditions. This forces us to find alternative food sources.

In addition to this, people of the Earth consume more of the total biocapacity, than can be regenerated for renewable resources in the same time span. The Ecological Footprint of humanity, 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, 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 – we are, in other words, consuming the biocapacity of 1.5 planet Earths every year, shown in figure 2, and in this way, the biocapacity has become and will continue to become less and less.

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 1 Source: Contribution of Carbohydrates in Total Dietary Consumption: (Link) shows the contribution of carbohydrates in total dietary consumption in the world. WHO recommends at least 55 % of carbohydrates in the daily diet, but they also cautions 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 1 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 2 Source: Contribution of Proteins in Total Dietary Consumption: (Link) shows the contribution of proteins in total dietary consumption in the world. 10-20 % proteins 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) Source: Consumption of Fats in Total Dietary Consumption: (Link)   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, as 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 3 Source: Consumption of Fats in Total Dietary Consumption: (Link) shows that many countries in Africa, South-East Asia and Latin America have a daily intake of less than 20 %, while other countries, like USA, UK and France have an intake higher than 35 %.

It is important to note, that even if the ratio between carbohydrates, proteins and fats is as recommended, it does not mean that people in a given country eat enough calories per day, they still might 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 to 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 use carbohydrates as the primary food source, while they eat too little protein and fats compared with 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 contribution of carbohydrates, proteins and fats. It is unknown, why people, who have the choice, don’t eat the right amount of these food sources. It might be that those people don’t offer very much time on cooking, so that fast food, which is rich in fats, is the easier choice.

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