The concept of being “hungry” is an interesting topic to evaluate. Think about the millions of people around the world who go hungry for extended periods of time. They may not know where or when their next meal may be. They may suffer from malnutrition, leading to various health problems. An estimated 795 million people around the world suffer from malnutrition and undernutrition. (“World Hunger”). When discussing world hunger, malnutrition refers to protein-energy malnutrition, a lack of calories and proteins. This can lead to stunted growth, severe weight loss, and possibly death. Now I’m sure many of us think of hunger as a mildly frustrating sensation. Perhaps there wasn’t enough time to make breakfast in the morning. Maybe that diet fad you’re trying out requires intermittent fasting throughout the day. While some people may require fasting for legitimate health or religious reasons, it’s amazing to think that other people will unnecessarily starve themselves to lose weight or for some other health trend, especially when eating healthier foods may be the better solution. We should also observe the amount of food that is wasted year after year. In America, it’s estimated that almost half of all produce grown is thrown away after being harvested. Even globally, the number is staggering, where one third of food produced is wasted (Goldenberg). These figures are concerning and we ought to be aware of our own consumption patterns. It’s clear that there’s a wide disparity and inefficiency in global food distribution that has resulted in the chronic malnutrition of millions of people.
Goldenberg, Suzanne. “Half of All US Food Produce Is Thrown Away, New Research Suggests.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 13 July 2016, www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/jul/13/us-food-waste-ugly-fruit-vegetables-perfect.
“World Hunger, Poverty Facts, Statistics 2016.” World Hunger News, World Hunger Education Service, www.worldhunger.org/2015-world-hunger-and-poverty-facts-and-statistics/.