Officials from more than 170
countries agreed Wednesday on the need to eradicate malnutrition
around the world during a conference at the United Nations Food
and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
They say their commitments during the Second International
Conference on Nutrition (ICN2) supporting the Rome Declaration
on Nutrition will help to ensure the world's population access
to safe, sufficient and nutritious food.
Participants heard that although hunger worldwide has
fallen by 21% since 1990-92, more than 800 million people in the
world still go hungry.
Undernutrition is linked to almost half of all child deaths
under five years of age, some 2.8 million per year.
"We have the knowledge, expertise and resources needed to
overcome all forms of malnutrition," FAO Director-General José
Graziano da Silva said in a statement.
"Governments must lead the way," he added.
"But the push to improve global nutrition must be a joint
effort, involving civil society organizations and the private
sector".
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in a video
address called on participants to "redouble our efforts".
WHO Director-General, Dr Margaret Chan, said the world's
food systems provide ample supplies but creates problems for
public health.
"Part of the world has too little to eat, leaving millions
vulnerable to death or disease caused by nutrient deficiencies,"
she said.
"Another part overeats, with widespread obesity pushing
life-expectancy figures backwards and pushing the costs of
health care to astronomical heights".
Participants agreed to achieve results by 2025, working
towards sustainable food systems.
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