Tag Archives: population

Our Society Was Sick Well Before Covid-19: The Elephant in The Room

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Thibault Cancel recently wrote about the link between Covid-19 and obesity in the United States. He cited a CIA statistic from 2016 that 36% of the adult population was obese, compared to around just 4% in Japan. Thibault makes a great point about the rise of obesity and how it relates to the rise of processed foods, which have been marketed with various health claims. Claims based on nutrition buzzwords like “protein” and “whole grain,” among others.

Michael Pollan touches on this point in an article for the New York Review of Books. Citing the CDC, he notes the strongest predicting factors of those hospitalized with Covid-19: 49% had pre-existing hypertension, 48% were obese, and 28% had diabetes.

Person Holding Pizza on Box

All are conditions we are predisposed to because of the standard Western diet of processed foods, large quantities of meat, and little fruit or veg. The food system in our country promotes the production of foods which, “are reliably supplying the supermarket shelves and drive-thrus with cheap and abundant calories, it is killing us—slowly in normal times, swiftly in times like these,” Pollan writes.

Please No Smoking, Littering and Radio Signage on Gray Wall

How many dollars and lives has it taken to get the PSA out on the toxicity of Tobacco products? When might we see a similar campaign to properly educate consumers about the foods we see every day on the supermarket shelf, or on that impulse-buy at the counter, which cause disease and increase the threat to viruses such as Covid-19.

It’s high time we address the elephant in the room; Not only do our food choices affect our health and happiness, they also are linked directly to inequities in our society. While I don’t expect everyone to have the resources to eat a healthy diet, we all have personal responsibility over our bodies, and it’s time we get them moving.

Person Running Near Street Between Tall Trees

Womxn, Food, and Security Amid COVID-19 in Yemen

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ON APRIL 9, the World Food Programme (WFP) announced that it will reduce its international aid contribution by 50% to Yemen. Amid the ongoing humanitarian crisis that threatens Yemen’s population and puts nearly 14 million people at risk of starvation according to the United Nations, the COVID-19 pandemic will disproportionately impact the status on womxn in an already conflict ridden country. 

In addition to the estimated 3M womxn at risk of gender-based violence (GBV) in 2018, the UNFPA Humanitarian Response Report estimated that rising food shortages left an estimated 1.1 million pregnant womxn malnourished. The reduction in WFP aid will increase the already estimated 12 million Yemenis in need each month that the WPF feeds, increasing the risk towards malnourished womxn and children.

Schoolgirls in Yemen enjoy WFP provided meals. Image courtesy of WFP/Mohammed Nasher

The crisis calls into question the shifting roles that womxn will take on to tackle food insecurity as international organizations become strained. What additional burdens will this place on womxn already experiencing violence? My prediction is that more womxn will step into roles of political leadership, peacemaking, and environmentalism with the rise of COVID-19. 

In the face of the crisis, womxn have already stepped up to organize and speak up about food insecurity in the midst of the pandemic, raising issues of inclusive peace talks and starting grassroots initiatives in their communities to help alleviate hunger. Muna Luqman, founder of the Food for Humanity Foundation has used her platform to work on coronavirus relief in Yemen. In the coming months, Yemeni womxn will not only face the blunt impact of the food crisis that COVID-19 is exacerbating, they will also serve as primary leaders and organizers in their communities in the midst of declining humanitarian aid to the country. 

The original inspiration for the article can be found at https://insight.wfp.org/inside-the-lives-of-women-living-through-the-crisis-in-yemen-e45d5662972

Can Earth Provide for Growing Consumption Rates?

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A recent study by the University of Gottingen forecasts that global food consumption could rise by 80% by 2100. They suggest that 60% would be from population growth and 20% from the increased quantity of food required by larger (in terms of BMI and height) humans.

Yes, this does sound quite alarming…however, the statistic is based on the assumption that the world will continue until 2100 without changing its ways at all. I find this highly improbable given that the human behavior constantly evolves and adapts. There are already many working to combat issues of food insecurity, food waste, and malnutrition. 

Currently, the UN Food and Agricultural Organization reports that every year, around 30% of food produced in the world is lost or wasted. How many additional people could we feed on this wasted food alone? Also, there are many movements advocating for reduced animal product consumption. Bloomberg reports that around 41% of US land is used for livestock production. Take a look at these maps; imagine if there was an initiative to shift the subsidization of animals, corn, soy, and wheat to whole grains, produce, and legumes. This alone could sustain our population for longer and promote healthier diets.

https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2018-us-land-use/

The US is unique in its high demand for animal products. What would the future of feeding a larger population look like if human health was promoted by governments through proper subsidies, and if sustainable farming and waste management was a major priority for state legislatures and governments worldwide? Would this prediction of future consumption be as extreme?

I don’t have all the answers, but I know that we all must fight for a more sustainable future that prioritizes systematic changes.

Consider finding out how you can get involved in local initiatives. Big changes begin with little steps. 

 

 

Sources:

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/food-shortages-supply-global-population-bmi-taller-height-a9239686.html 

https://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2014/10/thirty-percent-world-food-wasted-2014103192739208584.html

https://www.arespectfullife.com/2018/08/05/41-of-u-s-land-is-used-for-livestock-production/