ROME — For most people reading this, in an era of obesity, the idea of going to the doctor when we are sick and being told to eat more is bizarre. And yet, for millions of people in the developing world, undernutrition is the root cause of many of their ailments. Eating more of the right food is actually the best way to stay healthy.
It may seem blindingly obvious when you spell it out, but few people realize that there is a direct link between health and hunger. Hungry people are far less effective in fighting disease than well-fed people.
An undernourished child tends to suffer more days of sickness than a well-nourished child for simple medical reasons: Undernutrition suppresses the immune system and allows infections to spread, further depleting the body of essential nutrients.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.