Road
to 5**：Prevalence of instant-noodle culture
【明報專訊】◆News summary
On 15 October 2019 the UNICEF published a report titled The State of the World's Children 2019: Children, food and nutrition, pointing out that an instant-noodle culture is prevalent in Asian countries. Among them, parents in the Philippines, Indonesia, and Malaysia, impoverished and occupied with work, have difficulty taking care of their children. This causes millions of children to turn to cheap and non-nutritious instant noodles to satisfy their hunger, leading to nutritional imbalances and overall health problems.
◆Source A
According to the report, under the influence of globalization and urbanization, it is common for both parents to have to work. So is the consumption of cheap, ultra-processed foods. After the rural population flows into urban areas for work, parents are only concerned about feeding their children, neglecting the importance of the intake of protein, calcium and fiber. Due to financial difficulties, many are unable to afford traditional, nutritious foods, thus resorting to buying inexpensive and convenient pre-prepared foods.
However, these products, such as instant noodles, are often lacking in important nutrients such as iron or protein but have high levels of salt and fat.
According to data from the World Instant Noodles Association, the consumption of instant noodles in Indonesia reached 12.5 billion servings in 2018, second in the world only to China (which is several times as populous) and more than India and Japan combined. UNICEF states that if children lacks nutrition, not only are their health and learning ability affected, but the risk of women's death during childbirth when they grow up also increases. Experts urge the government to provide assistance to the public.
■Mock examination question
Provide three suggestions (A) for solving the global issue of child malnutrition (B).
(A) The root of the problem must be addressed.
(B) The suggestions must be applicable to the global situation, not specific to a particular country or city.
The government promotes a balanced diet
Through educational programs, advertisements and seminars, local governments can raise awareness of the importance of balanced diets and nutritional balance among some parents, leading to a decrease in processed foods consumption.
Non-governmental organisation assistance
To address the problem of children suffering from malnutrition due to low family income and material shortages, international rescue and medical organisations can provide material assistance, such as nutritional supplements and solid foods, for these countries. This will help children replenish nutrients, effectively preventing them from suffering from hidden hunger.
Citizens providing financial assistance
To spare families in low-income countries from having to rely on cheap, non-nutritious processed foods, people everywhere, as global citizens, can provide financial assistance to solve this problem. For example, people from developed countries can make donations to voluntary organisations in developing countries, allowing low-income families to buy more nutritious foods through financial support, or support the establishment of local food banks, etc.
Translated by Odyssey Lang
[通通識 第670期]
