Global Hunger Index 2021: countries most affected by hunger
According to the Global Hunger Index 2021, which was adopted by the International Food Policy Research Institute, Somalia was the most affected by hunger and malnutrition, with an index of 50.8. Yemen followed with an index of 45.1. The World Hunger Index combines three indicators: undernourishment, child underweight, and child mortality.
There are approximately 516.5 million malnourished individuals living in the Asia and Pacific region and about 239 million malnourished living in Sub-Saharan Africa. Globally, there are 821.6 million people that are considered undernourished or starving. The term malnutrition includes both undernutrition and overnutrition. Undernutrition occurs when an individual cannot maintain normal bodily functions such as growth, recovering from disease, and both learning and physical work. Some conditions such as diarrhea, malaria, HIV/AIDS are considered major causes of undernutrition. Rural and agricultural communities can be especially susceptible to hunger during certain seasons. The annual hunger gap occurs when a family’s food supply may run out before the next season’s harvest is available and can result in malnutrition. Nevertheless, the prevalence of people worldwide that are undernourished has decreased over the last decades, from 18.7 percent in 1990-92 to 9.9 percent in 2020.
There are approximately 516.5 million malnourished individuals living in the Asia and Pacific region and about 239 million malnourished living in Sub-Saharan Africa. Globally, there are 821.6 million people that are considered undernourished or starving. The term malnutrition includes both undernutrition and overnutrition. Undernutrition occurs when an individual cannot maintain normal bodily functions such as growth, recovering from disease, and both learning and physical work. Some conditions such as diarrhea, malaria, HIV/AIDS are considered major causes of undernutrition. Rural and agricultural communities can be especially susceptible to hunger during certain seasons. The annual hunger gap occurs when a family’s food supply may run out before the next season’s harvest is available and can result in malnutrition. Nevertheless, the prevalence of people worldwide that are undernourished has decreased over the last decades, from 18.7 percent in 1990-92 to 9.9 percent in 2020.
