PHA-Exchange> FIGHTING HUNGER TODAY MAY HALT OBESITY AND SOARING HEALTH COSTS TOMORROW - UN

[Claudio]

From: "Vern Weitzel" <vern.weitzel at undp.org>

> FIGHTING HUNGER TODAY MAY HALT OBESITY AND SOARING HEALTH COSTS TOMORROW -
UN
> New York, Feb 11 2004 10:00AM

> Reducing hunger and undernourishment in pregnant women and children now
could prevent them from becoming overweight and obese and
> reduce associated health costs in later life, according to a study
released today by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
>
> With obesity identified as a main cause of non-communicable diseases
(NCDs), the study compiles a growing body of empirical
> evidence suggesting that hunger during pregnancy "programmes" foetal
tissues to get the most out of the food energy available,
> leading to overnourishment in adult life when coupled with greater food
availability and a more sedentary lifestyle.
>
> Many developing countries currently face these conditions, with
potentially dramatic impact in the future, the agency said. Hunger
> today and more food availability tomorrow will mean that many will shift
from hunger to obesity and become vulnerable to one of
> the related NCDs, such as diabetes and coronary heart disease.
>
> "The message is clear: all efforts that help fight hunger today and
improve the nutritional situation of women during their
> reproductive age have the potential to yield an extra dividend tomorrow,"
the Rome-based FAO said.
>
> "This is particularly important in developing countries, where 'prenatal
programming' is likely to lead to overweight, obesity and
> increased susceptibility to NCDs in a less austere later life," it added.
>
> The economic and healthcare costs of NCDs are already high in developed
countries. In the United States alone they have risen to
> over $120 billion annually. These economic problems will be felt more in
developing countries as falling real prices for food,
> rising incomes and rapidly increasing urbanization change nutrition
patterns.
>
> Diets in many developing countries are approaching energy and protein
intake levels that have for long been limited to consumers
> in developed countries, the study says. But while people in more advanced
countries may be able to cope with the associated costs,
> the story is very different in developing countries where many people will
not be able to pay for medical treatment.
>
> Globally, diets are getting worse, FAO notes. People in 36 per cent of all
countries consume more than the recommended 300
> milligrams per person a day of cholesterol, more than twice the rate of
the early 1960s, while, 34 per cent exceed the 30 per cent
> threshold of fat in the diet, compared to 18 per cent 40 years ago.