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Without a balanced diet, the body does not get enough of these micronutrients and cannot function at optimal levels, which results in developmental issues and a host of related various vitamin deficiencies. Hidden hunger impairs the mental and physical development of children and adolescents and can result in lower IQ, stunting, and blindness. Also, according to a 2011 study by Bouis and Islam, it can reduce the productivity of adult men and women due to increased risk of illness and reduced work capacity.
Because this type of hunger is related to the lack of nutrients, not the lack of calories or food intake, there are few visible signs of hidden hunger. However, the health consequences of those who suffer from it can be dangerous, including irreversible mental and physical impairments. People suffering from hidden hunger do not resemble the typical image of a malnourished person because they are not starving. It is now understood, because of a study by Fisher and colleagues in 2013, that hidden hunger is not necessarily related to the quantity of food consumed but the quality of food. Therefore, it became clear that while meals high in carbohydrates relieved under-nutrition, it did not provide the health benefits to sustain a high quality of life (AGR partners, 2013).
The people who are most affected by micronutrient deficiencies are young children and women of child bearing age. It should be noted that this issue is more prevalent in developing countries. Hidden hunger prevalence in developing as well as developed countries is caused by lack of knowledge about food and nutrition. Moreover, in developing countries, nutritious food is not always available in terms of vicinity and affordability (AGR partners, 2013). Altogether it is clear that the issue of malnutrition, and specially hidden hunger, highlights the importance of eating a balanced diet.
Moreover, given the prevalence of hidden hunger, there is growing interest in the role agriculture plays in improving nutrition in particular by paying more attention to the nutritional quality of food. Biofortification is a scientific method for improving the nutritional value of foods already consumed by those suffering from hidden hunger (Bouis and Islam, 2011). This is done by breeding crops either through
Dietary diversity is the ultimate long-term solution to minimizing hidden hunger. This will require substantial increases in income for the poor so they are able to afford more nutritious non-staple foods such as vegetables, fruits, and animal products. Bio-fortification can be effective in reducing hidden hunger as part of a strategy that includes dietary diversification and other interventions such as supplementation and commercial fortification.
In addition to biofortification and dietary diversification, there are two main types of interventions to prevent and combat vitamin and mineral deficiencies, which can be deployed individually or in combination: short-term supplementation and medium-term food fortification (BMZ, 2012). Food supplements are highly concentrated vitamins and minerals produced by pharmaceutical manufacturers in the form of capsules, tablets or injections and administered as part of health care or specific nutrition campaigns (Copenhagen Consensus Center, 2009). Vitamin capsules and iodine and iron tablets are widely produced as supplements.
Food fortification is to fortify food with essential nutrients. The United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization recommends that governments in countries with high malnutrition rates consider fortifying food with iodine, iron and vitamin A in particular and that they regulate fortification (FAO, 2005). Food fortification is attractive because it does not require the target groups to change their diet but can be implemented by the food industry and because it reaches large numbers of consumers through retail (BMZ, 2012). Mandatory labeling tells consumers that the food they are buying has been fortified. Fortification is also seen as particularly cost-efficient and cost-effective. All together, the above strategies can help in reducing hidden hunger in many ways.
ByThilini Jayasinghe,
BSc (Sri Lanka), MSc (PGIA, Sri Lanka), MSc (Sydney), Nutritionist
