It has contributed to food insecurity, increasing hunger worldwide; meanwhile, lower physical activity during lockdowns has contributed to increases in overweight and obesity. In 2020, experts estimated that by the end of the year, the pandemic could double the number of people at risk of suffering acute hunger. Similarly, experts estimate that the prevalence of moderate and severe wasting could increase by 14% due to COVID-19; coupled with reductions in nutrition and health services coverage, this could result in over 128,000 additional deaths among children under 5 in 2020 alone. Although COVID-19 is less severe in children than in adults, the risk of severe disease increases with undernutrition.Other major causes of hunger include manmade conflicts, climate changes, and economic downturns. Definitions
Undernutrition
Undernutrition can occur either due to protein-energy wasting or as a result of micronutrient deficiencies. It adversely affects physical and mental functioning, and causes changes in body composition and body cell mass. Undernutrition is a major health problem, causing the highest mortality rate in children, and is responsible for long-lasting physiologic effects. It is a barrier to the complete physical and mental development of children.Undernutrition can manifest as stunting, wasting, and underweight. If undernutrition occurs during pregnancy, or before two years of age, it may result in permanent problems with physical and mental development. Extreme undernutrition can cause starvation, chronic hunger, Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM), and/or Moderate Acute Malnutrition (MAM). The signs and symptoms of micronutrient deficiencies depend on which micronutrient is lacking.
However, in the developing world, eighty percent of malnourished children live in countries that produce food surpluses, according to estimates from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). The economist Amartya Sen observes that, in recent decades, famine has always been a problem of food distribution, purchasing power, and/or poverty, since there has always been enough food for everyone in the world.There are also sociopolitical causes of malnutrition. For example, the population of a community might be at increased risk for malnutrition if government is poor and the area lacks health-related services. On a smaller scale, certain households or individuals may be at an even higher risk due to differences in income levels, access to land, or levels of education. Community plays a crucial role in addressing the social causes of malnutrition. For example, communities with high social support and knowledge sharing about social protection programs can enable better public service demands. Better public service demands and social protection programs minimise the risk of malnutrition in these communities. It is argued that commodity speculators are increasing the cost of food. As the real-estate bubble in the United States was collapsing, it is said that trillions of dollars moved to invest in food and primary commodities, causing the 2007–2008 food price crisis.The use of biofuels as a replacement for traditional fuels raises the price of food.