ABSTRACT
Hunger, poor health, and malnutrition are manifestations of social and economic inequity. Since the 1970s, most countries in the Asian region have made marked progress, both in their food production and in overall economic growth. Yet, despite these positive trends, high morbidity, mortality, and malnutrition persist. Overt starvation from lack of food may be heard of occasionally in pockets of populations, but is much less prevalent in the Southeast-Asia region than in some other parts of the world. Thus, the focus of attention in these countries will begin to shift to the more subtle or chronic hunger manifested as malnutri tion and the poor health related to it.
