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Journal of Food Science and Nutrition | Volume 2
December 09-10, 2019 | Dubai, UAE
Nutrition, Food Science and Technology
8
th
International Conference on
J Food Sci Nutr, Volume:2
Hidden hunger - A few examples of contemporary challenges
Weiguo Zhang
Independent physician-scientist, Irving, Texas, USA
A
ccording to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of
the United Nations, zero hunger should be realized by
2030. While this promises the intake of macronutrients
(carbohydrates, protein and fat), inadequate/insufficient
intake or bioavailability of micronutrients (vitamins and
minerals) which is called hidden hunger, may be improved
or unnecessarily improved consequently. Hidden hunger
is caused by established risk factors, and can be worsened
by emerging factors that are specifically highlighted in this
presentation. First, air pollution has become as a public
health threat globally, as inhalation of airborne pollutants
provokes body’s pathophysiology including oxidative
stress and inflammatory response. Investigation showed
that although the nutrition intake profiles were almost
indistinguishable - so was presumably the vitamin E intake,
those who exposed to air pollution was with reduced
circulating level of vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) than those
without. The vitamin E depletion phenomenon was because
more alpha-tocopherol was consumed to counteract reactive
oxygen species and chronic inflammation, and was corrected
after the subjects received vitamin E and C supplementation.
Second, carbon dioxide (CO2) represents the most significant
long-lived greenhouse gas in Earth’s atmosphere. Increased
CO2 emission was accompanied by decreased contents of
micronutrients including Zn, Fe, and B vitamins in the crops,
making the nutritional values of these crops compromised.
Third, the world has been continuously facing the threat of
reduced population of pollinators that are not only important
for agriculture output, but for the contents of micronutrients
in the crops. If animal pollinators were completely lost, there
would be additional 71 million people at risk for vitamin
A deficiency and addition 173 million for folate deficiency.
These few examples reflect the contemporary challenges
for the efforts in the fight against hidden hunger. Given the
irreplaceable roles of micronutrients in health and well-being
as well as in the pathogenesis of non-communicable diseases
(NCDs), it is warranted to understand the landscape of hidden
hunger, to analyze all potential causes, and to take preventive
actions accordingly from public health perspective.
e
:
weiguozha@yahoo.com