Poor food 'risks health of half the world' Poor diets are undermining the health of one in three of the world's people, an independent panel of food and agriculture experts has warned. Such is the cost of poor diet, that it's estimated that every dollar invested in nutrition brings 16 in return. The result is an increase in heart disease, hypertension, diabetes and other diet-related illnesses that undermines productivity and threatens to overwhelm health services. These non-infectious, chronic diseases have been associated with the fatty, highly processed diet of the developed world. But most new cases are appearing in developing countries. "People on higher incomes have better food and very low rates of stunting. Low income groups eat a diet based on maize (corn), but they don't get enough vegetables, fruit, dairy food or protein such as that found in chicken." "One or two African countries have had big successes with agriculture. In Rwanda growing iron-rich beans has helped reduce anaemia among women - but across the world anaemia is decreasing very slowly." It is time governments stopped subsidizing unhealthy foods, and put this money towards healthier food. See http://ift.tt/2djwrW9
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