Malnutrition, Obesity and Food Security

Malnutrition is not simply a lack of food; it refers to any condition in which the body receives an inappropriate amount of nutrients, whether too little, too much, or the wrong balance. It therefore covers two contrasting problems that increasingly coexist: undernutrition and overnutrition. Understanding both, and the concept of food security that underpins them, is central to the geography of food and health.

Undernutrition occurs when energy or nutrient intake is insufficient. It includes wasting (low weight for height, a sign of acute food shortage), stunting (low height for age, reflecting chronic deprivation that impairs physical and cognitive development), and micronutrient deficiencies, sometimes called "hidden hunger." Deficiencies of iron, vitamin A, and iodine affect billions, c