Hunger and obesity becoming epidemics worldwide

According to UNICEF, approximately 200 million children suffer from stunted growth due to hunger - but rich nations are struggling with the epidemic of obesity.

Among a worldwide population of 6.8 billion people, 1 billion are undernourished and 1.1 billion are overweight - and the epidemics of both ends of the food-consumption spectrum are growing at an increasingly disturbing rate. Kicking off a 3-day summit on world hunger, UNICEF released a report on Wednesday claiming that 200 million children in predominantly poor countries are experiencing stunted growth as a result of inadequate nutrition. The report also notes that more than 33 percent of deaths among poor children in Africa and Asia are associated with hunger. "Unless attention is paid to addressing the causes of child and maternal undernutrition today, the costs will be considerably higher tomorrow," UNICEF executive director Ann M. Veneman said in a statement. In the United States alone, $188.6 million is spent in a day on obesity related issues - and roughly $82 million is spent daily on weight-loss programs and products. Meanwhile, according to Stopthehunger.com, only $4.1 million is spent in a given day on global food aid.