Yearbook 2019
rail freight will address the targeted issues of congestion and air quality as well as reduce greenhouse-gas emissions and increase physical activity.” Together, obesity and malnutrition are the biggest cause of premature death. The report notes around four-million deaths each year are linked to obesity, and around 815 million people are chronically undernourished. The problems have been exacerbated by the lack of action of policymakers, the influence of profit-seeking food companies over public policy and the public’s lack of demand for change, explains the report. Lancet suggests a binding international agreement, similar to the agreement reached on global warming in 2015, is needed to address and improve food production and distribution. Global meat production has increased from 71 million tonnes annually in 1961 to 318 million tonnes
in 2014. It’s projected to increase further to 455 million tonnes in 2050. The report says this level of production and consumption of red meat is a substantial driver of The Global Syndemic. To help fix climate change, the commission says we must fix the
obesity and starvation epidemics. “A food system that secures a better diet for this and the immediate next generations will save millions of lives and, at the same time, also help save the planet.” The 43 authors hope the new report will start
a dialogue for better policies and encourage companies to create affordable but health-conscious products. This article was written by Dinah Lewis Boucher, first published by The Urban Developer
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