The Globalization of Food Systems and the Health Crisis in the Developing World
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24054/ripcs.v4i2.4311Keywords:
Food Globalization, Nutritional Transition., Double Burden of Malnutrition, Thrifty Phenotype, RegulationAbstract
The globalization of food systems, driven by trade liberalization and accelerated urbanization, is generating a dangerous nutrition transition in the developing world. The central mechanism is "dietary convergence," where the expansion of international retailers and mass advertising promote the consumption of processed, low-cost, and energy-dense foods. This dynamic, by prioritizing profitability over nutritional quality, confirms the criticism that the consumer is used by the system for profit. Epidemiologically, this manifests itself in the acceleration of the double burden of malnutrition. Overweight and obesity are outpacing underweight in many urban populations. Health is delicate in this context due to the metabolic vulnerability of previously undernourished populations. The thrifty phenotype—metabolic programming caused by early undernutrition—magnifies the risk of developing noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), such as diabetes, when exposed to the globalized diet. This crisis severely affects highly urbanized regions such as Latin America and intensifies the projected burden on nations such as India. The answer calls for policies to transcend individual education and focus on regulating the food supply. It is crucial to implement integrated and regulatory strategies, including advertising control and the possible application of taxes on products of low nutritional quality, to mitigate negative health externalities and promote well-being.
References
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. (2004). Globalization of food systems in developing countries: Impact on food security and nutrition (FAO Food and Nutrition Paper No. 83).
Bloem, M. W., Moench-Pfanner, R., Graciano, F., Stalkamp, G., & de Pee, S. (2004). Trends in health and nutrition indicators in the urban slums of three cities in Bangladesh, compared to its rural areas. En Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (Ed.), Globalization of food systems in developing countries: Impact on food security and nutrition (FAO Food and Nutrition Paper No. 83, pp. 155–168).
Chopra, M. (2004). Globalization, urbanization and nutritional changes in South Africa. En Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (Ed.), Globalization of food systems in developing countries: Impact on food security and nutrition (FAO Food and Nutrition Paper No. 83, pp. 119–133).
Fajardo, L. F. (2004). Impact of globalization on food consumption, health and nutrition in urban areas of Colombia. En Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (Ed.), Globalization of food systems in developing countries: Impact on food security and nutrition (FAO Food and Nutrition Paper No. 83, pp. 285–300).
Kennedy, G., Nantel, G., & Shetty, P. (2004). Globalization of food systems in developing countries: A synthesis of country case studies. En Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (Ed.), Globalization of food systems in developing countries: Impact on food security and nutrition (FAO Food and Nutrition Paper No. 83, pp. 1–25).
Kinabo, J. (2004). Impact of globalization on food consumption, health and nutrition in urban areas: A case study of Dar es Salaam, United Republic of Tanzania. En Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (Ed.), Globalization of food systems in developing countries: Impact on food security and nutrition (FAO Food and Nutrition Paper No. 83, pp. 135–154).
Mendez, M. A., & Popkin, B. M. (2004). Globalization, urbanization and nutritional change in the developing world. En Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (Ed.), Globalization of food systems in developing countries: Impact on food security and nutrition (FAO Food and Nutrition Paper No. 83, pp. 55–80).
Mendez, M. A., Du, S., & Popkin, B. M. (2004). Urbanization, income and the nutrition transition in China: A case study. En Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (Ed.), Globalization of food systems in developing countries: Impact on food security and nutrition (FAO Food and Nutrition Paper No. 83, pp. 169–194).
Organización de las Naciones Unidas para la Alimentación y la Agricultura. (2004). El estado de la inseguridad alimentaria en el mundo 2004: Seguimiento de los avances en la consecución de los objetivos de la Cumbre Mundial sobre la Alimentación y de los Objetivos de desarrollo del Milenio. https://www.fao.org/4/y5650s/y5650s00.pdf
Olayiwola, K., Soyibo, A., & Atinmo, T. (2004). Impact of globalization on food consumption, health and nutrition in Nigeria. En Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (Ed.), Globalization of food systems in developing countries: Impact on food security and nutrition (FAO Food and Nutrition Paper No. 83, pp. 99–118).
Pedro, M. R. A., Barba, C. V. C., & Candelaria, L. V. (2004). Globalization, food consumption, health and nutrition in urban areas: A case study from the Philippines. En Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (Ed.), Globalization of food systems in developing countries: Impact on food security and nutrition (FAO Food and Nutrition Paper No. 83, pp. 231–252).
Ruel, M., & Garrett, J. L. (2004). Features of urban food and nutrition security and considerations for successful urban programming. En Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (Ed.), Globalization of food systems in developing countries: Impact on food security and nutrition (FAO Food and Nutrition Paper No. 83, pp. 27–54).
Sawaya, A. L., Martins, P. A., & Martins, V. J. B. (2004). Impact of globalization on food consumption, health and nutrition in urban areas: A case study of Brazil. En Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (Ed.), Globalization of food systems in developing countries: Impact on food security and nutrition (FAO Food and Nutrition Paper No. 83, pp. 253–274).
Vepa, S. S. (2004). Impact of globalization on the food consumption of urban India. En Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (Ed.), Globalization of food systems in developing countries: Impact on food security and nutrition (FAO Food and Nutrition Paper No. 83, pp. 215–230).
Vio, F., & Albala, C. (2004). Nutrition transition in Chile: A case study. En Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (Ed.), Globalization of food systems in developing countries: Impact on food security and nutrition (FAO Food and Nutrition Paper No. 83, pp. 275–284).
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Hugo Alexander Vega Riaño
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
