Expressing concern over the increasing poverty across the world, writer Arun Joladakudligi said that malnutrition and resultant physical and mental ailments were the direct results of poverty.
“United Nations has set a target of making the world hunger-free by 2030. As per the United Nation’s recent report on food security, around 16.6% of world population is suffering from malnutrition. There is a direct relationship between the widening income disparities between rich and poor and the increasing malnutrition among the poorer sections of the society. As per World Health Organisation report, 40% of pregnant women and 42% of children across the world are suffering from malnutrition,” Mr. Joladakudligi said.
He was speaking at a seminar, ‘Anemia-free and nutritious Karnataka’, at Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Science and Commerce College in Kalaburagi on Saturday. The event was organised by the NSS Unit of the college in association with UNICEF.
Vasanth Nasi, another speaker at the event, attributed the increasing anemia partly to the changed food habits in the modern days.
“The people in old days used to consume variety of green vegetables and pulses which were locally grown without any pesticides and fertilizers. That is why they were health and lived for hundred years. Now, we are consuming unhealthy food. The iron deficit in our body is causing anemia,” Nasi said. \
History professor Gandhiji Molekar, who presided over the programme, gave a brief description about the food to be consumed for addressing anemia. NSS Unit coordinator Siddappa Kantha, Principal Vijay Kumar and others were present.