Editing Human nutrition (section)

=== Undernutrition ===
{{Main|Undernutrition}}
[[UNICEF]] defines undernutrition "as the outcome of insufficient food intake (hunger) and repeated infectious diseases. Undernutrition includes being underweight for one's age, too short for one's age ([[stunted growth]]), dangerously thin ([[muscle wasting]]), and deficient in vitamins and minerals ([[micronutrient malnutrition]]).<ref name="Progress for Children" /> Under nutrition causes 53% of deaths of children under five across the world.<ref name="Progress for Children" /> It has been estimated that undernutrition is the underlying cause for 35% of child deaths.<ref name="Black">{{cite journal | vauthors=Black RE, Allen LH, Bhutta ZA, Caulfield LE, de Onis M, Ezzati M, Mathers C, Rivera J | title=Maternal and child undernutrition: global and regional exposures and health consequences | journal=Lancet | volume=371 | issue=9608 | pages=243–60 | date=January 2008 | pmid=18207566 | doi=10.1016/s0140-6736(07)61690-0 | s2cid=3910132}}</ref> The Maternal and Child Nutrition Study Group estimate that under nutrition, "including fetal growth restriction, stunting, wasting, deficiencies of vitamin A and zinc along with suboptimum breastfeeding—is a cause of 3.1 million child deaths and infant mortality, or 45% of all child deaths in 2011".<ref name="Maternal undernutrition" />

When humans are undernourished, they no longer maintain normal bodily functions, such as growth, resistance to infection, or have insufficient drive for every everyday tasks and unsatisfactory performance in school or work.<ref name="Progress for Children" /> Major causes of under nutrition in young children include lack of proper breast feeding for infants and illnesses such as [[diarrhea]], [[pneumonia]], [[malaria]], and [[HIV/AIDS]].<ref name="Progress for Children" /> According to UNICEF 146 million children across the globe, that one out of four under the age of five, are underweight.<ref name="Progress for Children" /> The number of underweight children has decreased since 1990, from 33 percent to 28 percent between 1990 and 2004.<ref name="Progress for Children" /> Underweight and stunted children are more susceptible to infection, more likely to fall behind in academics and develop non-infectious diseases, ultimately affecting their livelihood.<ref name="IMPROVING CHILD NUTRITION">{{cite book | author=UNICEF | date=April 15, 2013 <!-- For this date, see https://reliefweb.int/report/world/improving-child-nutrition-achievable-imperative-global-progress --> | title=Improving child nutrition: The achievable imperative for global progress | publication-place=New York City | publisher=Author | isbn=978-92-806-4686-3 | oclc=847679768 | url=https://data.unicef.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/NutritionReport_April2013_Final_29.pdf <!-- https://reliefweb.int/attachments/22378890-3058-3ffe-8241-5c156bb89f9b/Improving%20child%20nutrition%20The%20achievable%20imperative%20for%20global%20progress.pdf https://web.archive.org/web/20130928231307/http://www.unicef.org/publications/files/Nutrition_Report_final_lo_res_8_April.pdf --> }}<!-- Also available in other languages at https://web.archive.org/web/20130513170829/http://www.unicef.org/publications/index_68661.html --></ref> Therefore, undernutrition can result in an accumulation of afflictions and health deficiencies which results in less productivity individually and as a community.<ref name="Progress for Children" />

Many children are born with the inherent disadvantage of [[low birth weight]], often caused by [[intrauterine]] growth restriction and poor maternal nutrition, which results in affected growth, development and health throughout the course of their lifetime.<ref name="GNP" /> Children born at low birth weight (less than 5.5 pounds or 2.5&nbsp;kg), are less likely to be healthy and are more susceptible to disease and early death.<ref name="Progress for Children" /> Those born at low birth weight also are likely to have a depressed immune system, which can increase their chances of [[heart disease]] and [[diabetes]] later on in life.<ref name="Progress for Children" /> Because 96% of low birth weight occurs in the developing world, low birth weight has been associated with childbirth in impoverished areas where the birth mother typically exhibits poor nutritional status under harsh and demanding living conditions.<ref name="Progress for Children" />

Stunting and other forms of undernutrition reduces a child's chance of survival and hinders their optimal growth and health.<ref name="IMPROVING CHILD NUTRITION" /> Stunting has demonstrated association with poor brain development, which reduces [[cognitive ability]], academic performance and future earning potential.<ref name="IMPROVING CHILD NUTRITION" /> Important determinants of stunting include the quality and frequency of infant and child feeding, infectious disease susceptibility, and the mother's nutrition and health status.<ref name="IMPROVING CHILD NUTRITION" /> Undernourished mothers are more likely to birth stunted children, perpetuating a cycle of undernutrition and poverty.<ref name="IMPROVING CHILD NUTRITION" /> Stunted children are more likely to develop obesity and chronic diseases upon reaching adulthood.<ref name="IMPROVING CHILD NUTRITION" /> Therefore, malnutrition resulting in stunting can further worsen the obesity epidemic, especially in low and middle income countries.<ref name="IMPROVING CHILD NUTRITION" /> This creates even new economic and social challenges for vulnerable impoverished groups.<ref name="IMPROVING CHILD NUTRITION" />

Data on global and regional food supply shows that consumption rose from 2011 to 2012 in all regions. Diets became more diverse, with a decrease in consumption of cereals and roots and an increase in fruits, vegetables, and meat products.<ref name="FAO2012">FAO (2012). The state of food insecurity in the world 2012: Economic growth is necessary but not sufficient to accelerate reduction of hunger and malnutrition. Rome, Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations. http://www.fao.org/publications/sofi/en/ {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210214205751/http://www.fao.org/publications/sofi/en/ |date=2021-02-14 }} (Accessed 7 December 2012.).</ref> However, this increase masks the discrepancies between nations, where Africa, in particular, saw a decrease in food consumption over the same years.<ref name="FAO2012" /> This information is derived from food balance sheets that reflect national food supplies, however, this does not necessarily reflect the distribution of [[micronutrient]]s and [[macronutrients]].<ref name="FAO2012" /> Often inequality in food access leaves distribution which uneven, resulting in undernourishment for some and obesity for others.<ref name="FAO2012" />

Undernourishment, or hunger, according to the [[Food and Agriculture Organization]] (FAO), is dietary intake below the minimum daily energy requirement.<ref name="FAO" /> The amount of undernourishment is calculated utilizing the average amount of food available for consumption, the size of the population, the relative disparities in access to the food, and the minimum calories required for each individual.<ref name="FAO" /> According to [[FAO]], 868 million people (12% of the global population) were undernourished in 2012.<ref name="FAO" /> This has decreased across the world since 1990, in all regions except for Africa, where undernourishment has steadily increased.<ref name="FAO" /> However, the rates of decrease are not sufficient to meet the first [[Millennium Development Goals|Millennium Development Goal]] of halving hunger between 1990 and 2015.<ref name="FAO" /> The global financial, economic, and food price crisis in 2008 drove many people to hunger, especially women and children. The spike in [[food prices]] prevented many people from escaping poverty, because the poor spend a larger proportion of their income on food and farmers are net consumers of food.<ref name="UNSCN09">UNSCN (2009). Global financial and economic crisis – The most vulnerable are at increased risk of hunger and malnutrition. United Nations Standing Committee on Nutrition. http://www.unscn.org/en/publications/nutrition_briefs/#Nutrition_impacts_of_global_food_and_financial_crises {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203063523/http://www.unscn.org/en/publications/nutrition_briefs/#Nutrition_impacts_of_global_food_and_financial_crises |date=3 December 2013 }}.</ref> High food prices cause consumers to have less purchasing power and to substitute more-nutritious foods with low-cost alternatives.<ref name="IBRD">IBRD, World Bank (2012). Global Monitoring Report 2012: Food prices, nutrition, and the Millennium Development Goals. International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD)/World Bank, Washington, DC.</ref>