According to the Barilla Center for Food & Nutrition (BCFN), this World Health Day, the people of Earth are facing a global health emergency. For the first time in history, the risk of dying from poor eating habits is higher than the risk of dying from malnutrition.
“Over the last twenty years, we have seen a major increase in chronic diseases resulting in disabilities and death which are in large part due to unhealthy lifestyles and poor eating habits,” says Gabriele Riccardi, Professor of Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases at the Federico II University of Naples; and member of the Barilla Center Advisory Board.
The BCFN reports that two out three diseases are connected to diet, resulting in cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer. The number one mortality risk—and therefore the focus of this year’s international World Health Day—is high blood pressure. According to research from the World Health Organization (WHO), cases of high blood pressure have increased by 27 percent from 1990 to 2010. Estimates from WHO report that an alarming one out three adults worldwide suffers from this disease, and half of all deaths result from stroke or heart disease.
In honor of World Health Day and in order to inform people about the role food and nutrition play in global health issues BCFN is offering free downloads of the debut of issue of BCFN’s Magazine Food For Health. This issue features contributions from leading international experts from the scientific and institutional sectors including Guido Barilla, Paola Testori Coggi, Ellen Gustafson, Gabriele Riccardi, Massimo Montanari, Camillo Ricordi and Danielle Nierenberg. This new magazine will explore the social, environmental, health, and economic impacts that stem from different lifestyles and eating habits
In addition to the magazine, BCFN has prepared a number of multimedia tools such as infographics, images and a short video documentary which are available to view on the BCFN World Health Day webpage and will also be featured on Food Tank.
