Malnutrition is responsible for much of the
suffering of the peoples of the world. At least one-fifth
of the worldwide loss of years of life to death and to
disability is due to undernutrition.When more speculative
estimates are made of the contributions of
diet-related chronic diseases such as diabetes, obesity,
and hypertension and the various components of undernutrition,
some commentators place one half of global
suffering at the door of malnutrition.