May 4, 2009
Bangkok (ASTV Manager Online) – The highest number of about 542 million starving people was in the Asia Pacific region, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
Starving people accounted for 60 percent and they mostly lived in the rural areas.
The number of worldwide starving people reached 923 million in 2007.
Starving problem has been gradually solved, and several global and regional as well as national meetings have been held.
In 1996, the target of reducing the world’s population of 840 million people who starved and were undernourished to about 400 million by 2015 was set.
Agricultural business and food security were emphasized by the agriculture ministry.
Starvation, a severe reduction in vitamin, nutrient and energy intake, is the most extreme form of malnutrition.
While hunger is the most severe threat to the world’s public health, malnutrition is the biggest contributor to child mortality, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
Starvation is basically caused by an imbalance between energy intake and energy expenditure.
