UNITED NATIONS, April 25 (Xinhua) -- A UN study has found that undernutrition and obesity have cost Latin America billions of dollars.
"The combined impact of undernutrition and overweight/obesity, also known as the 'Double Burden of Malnutrition,' contributed to the loss of billions of dollars to the economies of Latin America, a study of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) and the World Food Program (WFP) said Tuesday.
Malnutrition, comprising both undernutrition and overweight/obesity, has significant negative impacts on sickness and mortality rates, educational outcomes and productivity, the study said.
It therefore carries huge economic consequences for affected individuals, communities and nations, according to the study.
