double

Egypt is among the countries confronting the simultaneous challenge of both undernutrition and overnutrition. Around 14% of the Egyptian population experience food insecurity, with the country ranking 57th out of 121 nations on the 2023 Global Hunger Index. This position indicates a moderate incidence of hunger. Moreover, approximately 40% of Egyptian adult population is obese, while around 18% of children under the age of 5 are obese and 22% are stunted (impaired growth, short for their age). This co-existence of multiple forms of malnutrition is known as the double burden of malnutrition, a compounding issue for Egyptian public health & safety.