Causes of hunger and poor diets

Motivation
This research area deals with the role concepts and indicators regarding food security. Current concepts of food security and indicators fall short in their
economic dimension, while at the same time food prices, non-food prices and
income have been identified as key factors for food and nutrition security.
Research set up and objectives
This research develops an interdisciplinary framework integrating the
different concepts of food and nutrition security. Research identifies
short-run (such as volatility) and long-run indicators, and a series of short
and long-term as well as structural drivers of food and nutrition security at
the global, national and household levels. The aim is to set up a framework
that improves understanding of how various factors may affect FNS.
Research approach
The framework will be operationalized by a set of practical indicators,
which not only include standard indicators (such as FAO and WHO measures of
hunger and malnutrition) but also dimensions that have been ignored or
undervalued so far. These indicators include e.g.: insufficient dietary
intake, deficits in mother and child care, economic and ecological conditions,
food demand and supply, including spillover effects from energy and feed
markets, climate change, water management, and financial markets.
Publications
FOODSECURE working paper no.1
FOODSECURE working paper no.5
Contact
Nathalie Francken
Katholieke Universiteit (KU) Leuven, Belgium,
e-mail: Nathalie.Francken(at)kuleuven.be