World Food Day (WFD) is observed each year on 16 October to celebrate the founding of Food and Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) in 1945. The aim of celebrating this day is to promote awareness and action for those who suffer from hunger worldwide and for the need to ensure food security and nutritious diets for all.

WFD is also an occasion to intensify efforts to achieve “Zero Hunger by 2030” a commitment to Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2 and to realize the progress already made towards reaching #ZeroHunger.

The theme for WFD 2019 is “HEALTHY DIETS FOR A #ZEROHUNGER WORLD”.

To achieve Zero Hunger, everyone needs to work together not only to feeding the hungry but also providing nutritious food for everyone everywhere. Food security isn’t only a matter of quantity, it’s also a question of quality. It’s nourishing people with healthy diets that include a sufficient variety of safe and nutritious foods, side by side also maintaining the health of the planet on which we all depend.

In recent decades we have grossly changed our diets and eating habits, moving away from seasonal, plant based and fibre- rich foods to diets that are high in refined carbohydrates, sugar, fats (saturated and trans fats), processed foods, meat and other animal sources foods

As consumers and members of households, we can make some changes in our diet to improve family nutrition, such as:

• Increase intake of fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts and whole grains.
• Consume fewer foods and drinks which are high in refined sugars, saturated fats and/or salt.
• Reduce or eliminate consumption of industrialized and convenience foods to favour more diverse, seasonal and traditional foods that will also support local biodiversity.
• Limit the consumption of foods that require an excessive use of natural resources, such as water, to be produced.
• All of the above should be complemented with regular physical activity.

Some facts

• More than 820 million people suffer from hunger
• Unhealthy diets combined with physical inactivity are number one risk factor for disability and death due to non-communicable diseases
• 149 million children under five are stunted, while 49 million are affected by wasting
• More than 670 million adults and 120 million children (age 5-19 years) are obese
• Climate change can decrease the quality and quantity of crops

World Food day 2018

References-

http://www.fao.org/3/ca5268en/ca5268en.pdf