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Pakistan's Dual Crisis: Malnutrition Soars as Obesity Rates Skyrocket

A UN Food and Agriculture Organisation report highlights Pakistan's severe double burden of malnutrition and obesity, straining its health system. The food system produces sufficient calories but lacks diversity, leading to a cereal-dominated diet and soaring consumption of processed sweets and snacks. This has resulted in 40% of adults being obese and 40% of children under five suffering from stunting, while anaemia affects 41% of women. The report recommends higher taxes on sugary drinks and processed foods to fund critical nutrition and health initiatives.

Key Points: Pakistan's Malnutrition & Obesity Crisis Hits Women, Children Hardest

  • 40% of adults obese
  • 40% of children under five stunted
  • Processed food sales doubled
  • Anaemia affects 41% of women
  • Pakistan ranks 3rd globally for diabetes
2 min read

Pak faces double burden of malnutrition and obesity; women and children most affected

A UN FAO report reveals Pakistan's double burden of malnutrition and obesity, driven by poor diets, hitting women and children hardest with stunting and disease.

"it fails to deliver the volume and diversity of healthy and nutritious foods required for a balanced diet - UN FAO Report"

New Delhi, Feb 16

Pakistan is facing the double burden of malnutrition and obesity, intensifying pressures on the national health system and public well-being, a new report has lamented, adding that widespread consumption of nutrient-deficient foods has compounded Pakistan's long-standing malnutrition crisis, hitting women and children the hardest.

According to a report in Business Recorder, a recent assessment by the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) revealed the deep structural distortions within the country's food system that are eroding nutrition, and by extension weakening public health and long-term development outcomes.

According to the report, while the system generates sufficient calories to feed the population, "it fails to deliver the volume and diversity of healthy and nutritious foods required for a balanced diet".

In effect, the country is producing energy, not nourishment, leaving millions vulnerable to malnutrition, stunting and diet-related diseases, said the report.

The most alarming finding is the sharp rise in consumption of sweets and snack foods.

"Rural communities again appear particularly affected, consuming more free sugars and fats than their urban counterparts, which could in part be due to the relative affordability of energy-dense, sugar- and fat-laden foods," the report mentioned.

Sales of processed foods in Pakistan have nearly doubled in recent years.

Moreover, cereals, sugar and edible oil are produced and consumed at levels that far exceed what healthy diets require, while the supply and intake of nutrient-dense foods like fruits, pulses and legumes remain woefully inadequate.

This skewed pattern has entrenched a cereal-dominated diet across both urban and rural areas.

Notably, obesity has surged simultaneously, affecting 40 per cent of adults, and fuelling a rise in non-communicable diseases (NCD), including cardiovascular illness, hypertension, and diabetes.

The diabetes burden is particularly devastating, with Pakistan ranking third globally for diabetes prevalence.

Anaemia now affects around 41 per cent of women, contributes to poor maternal nutrition and one of the region's highest maternal mortality rates - 186 deaths per 100,000 live births.

Child malnutrition is also rampant, with stunting affecting 40 per cent of children under five.

Curbing excessive sugar intake is critical. Higher taxes on sugary drinks, confectionery and processed foods, with the proceeds reinvested into nutrition and health initiatives can create powerful incentives for change, said the report.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

R
Rahul R
Very concerning report. The part about producing "energy, not nourishment" is so true for many regions. Cheap, filling food like fried snacks and sweets are replacing proper meals. This is a public health crisis in the making. Governments need to subsidize healthy foods, not just wheat and rice.
A
Aman W
While the focus is on Pakistan, we in India are not far behind. Diabetes and hypertension are skyrocketing here too because of similar dietary shifts. Junk food advertising needs stricter regulation. Our children are the most vulnerable.
S
Sarah B
The maternal mortality statistic is shocking. 186 deaths per 100,000 is tragically high. Anaemia in 41% of women shows how deeply malnutrition is rooted. This isn't just about food availability, it's about education and women's access to resources. Heart goes out to the families affected.
K
Karthik V
The report's suggestion of higher taxes on sugary drinks is a good one, but it must be implemented carefully. The revenue *must* be used for health initiatives, as they said, not just go into general funds. Otherwise, it's just another tax on the poor.
M
Meera T
It's a complex issue. On one hand, people are starving for nutrients, on the other, they're becoming obese. The cereal-dominated diet point is crucial. We need to move beyond just roti-chawal and bring back diversity to our plates with daals, vegetables, and fruits. Our traditional diets were much healthier.

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