State of the People
POPULATION
Increased from 1.5 billion in 1900 to 6 billion by 2000. 9 billion expected by 2050.
FOOD
An estimated 1 in 6 people suffer from hunger and malnutrition. 10 million die from hunger or malnutrition each year. (BBC News)
OBESITY
More than 50% of adults are now defined as either being overweight or obese in ten OECD countries. US estimates indicate that the cost of health care services is 36% higher, and medications 77% higher, for obese people. (WHO)
DISEASE
“Infectious diseases are not only spreading faster, they appear to be emerging more quickly than ever before. Since the 1970s, newly emerging diseases have been identified at the unprecedented rate of one or more per year. There are now nearly 40 diseases that were unknown a generation ago. In addition, during the last five years, WHO has verified more than 1100 epidemic events worldwide.” (WHO 2007)
VIOLENCE
1.6 million people die from violence in the world every year, and millions more are injured and suffer from various problems as a result. Total crime grew by around 100% from 1982 to 2002, but juvenile crime grew around 200%.
WHO predicts that violence will cause 1 of every 80 deaths by 2030. (UN/WHO). Young people are increasingly exposed to extreme acts of crime or violence, either as a witness or victim and are consequently experiencing a myriad of disturbing psychological symptoms (NAEYC)