Food (In)security: The Paradox of Hunger and Obesity in the

BRIC Countries

On February of 2010, the Brazilian

congress passed an amendment adding

the ‘right to food’ to the country’s

constitution. Subsequently, many

initiatives were implemented to enforce

this new legislative amendment. The

right to food, however, did not specify

the ‘quality’ or the ‘quantity’ hence the

paradoxical relationship between hunger

and obesity in countries like Brazil. In a country where food is a human right, the quality

in terms of nutritional value is many times dependent on income and nutritional literacy.

The poverty-hunger-obesity nexus is complex involving many different channels.

A panel of experts were consulted in the public hearing "Poverty: How to overcome it?",

Marilia Leao, president of the NGO Brazilian Action for Nutrition and Human Rights,

noted the importance of tackling the structural causes of hunger and poverty and

acknowledged the government strategy of former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva to

fight hunger, bring together public policy, and food security. Leao also noted that a

contradiction exists between hunger and obesity. She noted that foods that were high in

saturated fats and sodium were consumed amongst people in areas of poverty. These

populations live in segmented areas where the quality of food is incongruent with the

bountiful resources around them.

This can, in part, be attributed to the lack of nutritional knowledge that exists in these

low-income communities. The initiatives that are being implemented in countries like

Brazil consist of increasing the quantity of food to these malnourished areas; however the

role of quality is still a quandary. Other BRIC countries like India also face this paradox,

a recent study by the University of Maryland and the National Council of Applied

Economic Research found 22 percent of Indians living in cities were overweight and 7

percent were obese. At the same time, India has the largest number of malnourished and

stunted children in the world. About 48 percent of children are underweight and almost 2

million under the age of five die each year from preventable diseases.

The Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) terms this paradox as the “double-

burden”, the binary hindrance of hunger and obesity in the sphere of poverty. In a new

report by FAO's Nutrition and Consumer Protection Division reported that Chinese have

a major new public health problem: over-nutrition. Over-nutrition is increasing to the

point where 23 percent of the adult population is overweight or obese and diet-related

chronic diseases have become the leading cause of death. A report by the AGN states that

this "double burden" is the result of changing dietary patterns and lifestyles –brought

about by urbanization. The liberalization of markets, demographic shifts, and declining

levels of physical activity have all contributed to obesity and chronic diseases in these

countries.

The food insecurity paradigm of hunger and obesity can be addressed through the

legislative system through the implementation of food product labeling, regulatory

actions, and nutritional literacy initiatives. The incongruence that exists between hunger

and obesity within the BRIC countries can be addressed through social policy. It is

imperative that countries like Brazil, India, and China address this paradox to combat the

issues of the food insecure in their regions. Food security should be enforced through the

elements of quantity and quality. Government intervention is necessary, in the U.S. New

York City took a lead role in banning the use of trans-fats and raising public awareness

about their harmful properties. Education is a vital component, by building awareness and

educating children on the importance of nutrition and dietary intake the BRIC countries

can begin to raise awareness on the issues of food security at an early stage. No child

should suffer from over-nourishment or malnourishment, especially not in a country

where food is a ‘human right’.