Startling first-of-its-kind study shows that four billion people could be overweight by 2050.
And out of that four billion people, 1.5 billion of them are predicted to be obese while 500 million people will be on the verge of starvation.
The study, conducted by experts from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) titled ‘Starved, stuffed and squandered: New study reveals consequences of decades of global nutrition transition‘ serves as a warning to mankind of the coming of a gap between the demand for food and the impact it’ll have on the environment.
Along with this prediction, they’ve also foresaw a heavy increase in food waste.
The study comes after researchers took the time to look through changing global eating habits between 1965 to 2100, using an open-source model that predicts how much of food demand can be attributed to factors like population growth, ageing, increasing height, growing body mass index, declining physical activity and increasing food waste.
More people relying on processed foods
Globally, more and more people are choosing to rely on highly processed food products and other food items that are high in sugar and fat. Animal-based diets are also becoming a trend over plant-based diets.
But, such food production already takes up three-quarters of the world’s fresh water and one-third of its land, while contributing to a third of greenhouse gas emissions.
Enough food in the world, but poor people cannot afford it
The study also found that along with the increase of inequality and food waste, such as food that is purchased but not consumed due to lack of storage or overbuying, about half a billion people will be undernourished.
“There is enough food in the world, the problem is that the poorest people on our planet have simply not the income to purchase it. And in rich countries, people don’t feel the economic and environmental consequences of wasting food,” said Prajal Pradhan, co-author from PIK.
If things continue the way that it is, our planet might not be able to sustain the needs of human life and we will also be letting down 500 million people who just needed some food to survive.
And we’re not ready to let anyone down, are you?
What do you think about this? Let us know in the comment section.
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