Statistics: Hunger and Malnutrition:

• Every 7 seconds a child dies from hunger.
• 24,000 people die each day from hunger and hunger related diseases = 8.8 million people yearly will be dead due to lack of food.
• Hunger kills more people than AIDS, malaria and TB combined. There are 850 million (equal to the combined population of the US, Canada and the EU) chronically hungry people in the world while there is more than enough food in the world to feed everyone.
• 17 million children are born underweight every year.
• One in seven children do not have enough food to be healthy; 400 million children are malnourished.
• 70 % of brain growth occurs before the age of 2 and malnutrition reduces brain growth and lowers IQ.
• Unicef reports: "Vitamin and mineral deficiencies impair intellectual development, compromise immune systems, provoke birth defects and consign millions to living below their full physical and mental potential."
• It is estimated that vitamin and mineral deficiencies are costing sub-Saharan economies more than $2.3 billion in lost productivity."
• Improved nutrition cuts child mortality by 25%.
• Malnutrition rates: USA 2.5%, Congo 71%.
• 27% of children in developing countries are malnourished.
• Malnutrition increases risk of infections and death.
• Major causes of malnutrition: poverty, world conflicts, lack of education, natural disasters, poor access to health care.