Obesity and starvation are among the world’s two greatest ills. Wasted food is a major factor in exacerbating wealth and health disparities. As much as 20 percent of what goes into municipal landfills is food, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. As much as 35 million tons of wasted nutrients is tossed away each year.
Wealthy nations do not have a corner on the market when it comes to food waste. During a recent medical mission to Tibet, it struck me that despite subsistence living on the Tibetan Plateau, as a guest, my cup and plate were always refilled despite stating clearly that I was full. When traveling in China, hosts would take me to restaurants with the typical round table and the Lazy Susan swivel where each dinner guest fills his or her plate from dishes at the center. The food keeps coming until everyone stops eating and there is a backlog of freshly cooked items left on the table. Even in Ireland I noticed that no one finishes everything on their plates. Once I asked why and was told that, from a cultural standpoint, emptying one’s plate could be construed as a sign of hunger — perhaps a social remnant of the great famine.
An estimated 805 million of the world’s 7.3 billion people, or 1 in 9, suffered from chronic undernourishment in 2012-2014, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. The vast majority of those who are malnourished, 791 million, live in developing countries, representing 13.5 percent, or 1 in 8, of the population in those regions. In contrast, there are only 11 million undernourished people in developed countries.
To be sure, reducing food waste in developed areas does not automatically translate into reduced hunger in developing countries. Effective redistribution can be elusive. I recall travelling to Asia with my M.B.A. class and learning while there that a barge of rice sent to North Korea to provide famine relief was found in Japan, allegedly sold by the North Korean government for hard currency.
The potential for waste begins at the farm. Practices associated with growing, harvesting, storing, processing, transporting and retailing are all make-it-or-break-it windows of opportunity.
The ability to rehabilitate the problem of food waste starts with awareness and setting the intention to become part of the solution. Enhanced collaboration among farmers, better communication, cutting-edge technology and regulatory action are all ways to move forward.
At the end of the day, we know we have made a difference when safe, surplus food is redistributed to those in need.
Over the years, I’ve spoken to patients who use the term "dumpster diving" to describe the act of going through the trash to find food behind a supermarket or a fast-food restaurant. Perhaps the surplus food could be made available in a more dignified way.
Remember, the opposite of malnutrition is not obesity. In fact, high-calorie, low-nutrient food tends to be the least expensive way to eat. Sugary sodas, french fries and white rice can pack on the pounds, but, despite the calories, nutrition still may be lacking.
There are myriad factors driving food waste, and just as many factors responsible for health and wealth disparities. Social, cultural, fiscal, technical and distribution challenges all take their toll. Did you know that there are smartphone apps that will ping you when the expiration date of a food you’ve purchased is coming close?
Let’s keep the problem of food waste at the top of our minds and consider how each of us might be part of the solution.
Ira Zunin, M.D., M.P.H., M.B.A., is medical director of Manakai o Malama Integrative Healthcare Group and Rehabilitation Center and CEO of Global Advisory Services Inc. Please submit your questions to info@manakaiomalama.com.
