THE ISSUE
Nutrition is increasingly being deemed a high risk in Japan, with the low-income household level failing to afford a nutritionally balanced meal. This, aside from economic disparities, does not solely happen in Japan but is a global challenge, as millions of people in low-income communities around the world experience similar nutritional deprivations. By addressing this, we hope to raise awareness and support solutions that will make healthy food more accessible in Japan and beyond, around the world.
WHAT ARE THE ISSUES?
One of the major challenges in the world is nutrition deprivation, which makes millions suffer due to economic inequalities. In 2021, about 828 million people in the world went hungry, which was an increase of 46 million compared to the previous year and an increase of 150 million from 2019 (World Health Organization).
Children suffer a big blow; almost half of all deaths among children under five years of age are related to undernutrition, mainly in low- and middle-income countries. Compared to 2022, an estimated 149 million children under age five were stunted- chronically undernourished. The burden of malnutrition is complex (World Health Organization).
That also has much to do with more simple economic inequalities: under-nutrition rates are up to ten times as high in low-income countries and overweight and obesity can be five times more frequent in high-income settings (“Nutritional Deficiency in Low-Income Households” 12).
The high cost of healthy foods really adds to it: healthier foods cost more than twice as many calories as unhealthy foods, for example, in one study - and low-income populations suffer even more. The COVID-19 pandemic has only exacerbated food insecurity, as disrupted supply chains and economic downturns are driving up the numbers of the hungry. In 2020, an estimated 2.37 billion people did not have access to adequate food - an increase of 320 million compared to 2019.
According to Haruka Ueda, it is now recorded that Japan, the country we come from, has the highest poverty rate, at 15.7%, compared to all developed nations. This economic inequality greatly influences nutritional intake, especially for susceptible groups. For example, one study targeted low-income single mothers and found that 11.8% suffered from nutritional deprivation, showing a direct relationship between low income and insufficient nutrition. In addition, according to Haruka Ueda, nutrition studies indicate that Japanese schoolchildren from poorer families tend to get less protein, as well as the important trace nutrients magnesium, phosphorus, iron, zinc, and copper than children from more affluent families. Nutrient intake underscores a low-income diet's challenge in being adequate in many nutrients.
Nutritional deprivation can only be resolved by incorporating all economic, social, and health aspects in order to achieve equitable access to nutrition for everyone.
