Solutions for Global Malnutrition

While obesity is on the increase around the globe, so is hunger! Both of these conditions can result from malnutrition. In early December, Cape Town, South Africa hosted the 3rd International Conference on Global Food Security in an attempt to better understand global food scarcity issues. “Malnutrition, including over- and under-nutrition and micro-nutrient deficiencies, is the top contributor to the global disease burden. Globally, 800 million people are under-nourished, 2 billion are overweight or obese and 2 billion are micronutrient deficient” (Globalfoodsecurityconference.com). In Southern Asia, nearly 300 million people are undernourished. In sub-Saharan Africa, nearly a quarter of the population is undernourished. Experts expect obesity to impact 3.28 billion people by the year 2030. Obesity often results from eating too much poor-quality food. In a world of increasing prosperity, why is the poor quality of food such a pressing issue?

Bible prophecies have long warned that as we approach the end of the age, hunger, famine and disease—often the result of war or disasters—will affect large numbers of people (Matthew 14:1-6; Revelation 6:5-7). However, the Bible also tells of a future time when food of good quality will no longer be scarce. When Jesus Christ returns, He will usher in a time when “everyone shall sit under his vine and under his fig tree” (Micah 4:4). This will be a time when deserts will flow with streams and be useful for agriculture (Isaiah 35:1, 6). Ultimately, during this future time, leaders will teach people the right way to live (Isaiah 30:20). Global malnutrition will one day disappear. To learn more about this exciting future for the entire earth, watch our inspiring telecast “Hope for the Future.”