The world is on the brink of a nutrition-driven health and economic crisis. Malnutrition, in all its forms, is no longer just a health issue, it is an economic emergency with global consequences. Today, over 2.5 billion adults live with overweight or obesity, while 149 million children under five suffer from stunting, highlighting the deep inequalities and systemic failures in global food systems.
The economic burden is staggering. Hidden costs of global agrifood systems amount to $12 trillion annually, with 70% ($8.1 trillion) linked to unhealthy diets and non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Undernutrition drains at least $1 trillion each year through productivity losses, while overweight and obesity add another $2 trillion. By 2035, the global economic impact of obesity alone is projected to reach $4.32 trillion annually, equivalent to nearly 3% of global GDP (comparable to the effect of COVID-19).
This is not a distant threat. It is a current challenge that undermines health systems, weakens workforces and strains public budgets. Urgent, coordinated action, leveraging innovation such as AI in nutrition, is essential to avert the next global health and economic catastrophe.
Why are traditional approaches no longer enough?
Brazil reduced child stunting through programmes like Bolsa Família, maternal education and expanded healthcare, while Nepal’s vitamin A supplementation programme showed how traditional interventions can deliver real progress. These successes prove that integrated policies work, but they also reveal their limits. Traditional approaches are often standardized, slow to adapt and hard to scale, leaving gaps in today’s rapidly changing food and health landscape.
Technology can bridge these gaps. AI, for example, can enable personalized nutrition guidance tailored to genetics, lifestyle and environment, far beyond one-size-fits-all interventions. Digital monitoring tools can provide real-time data, allowing quicker policy responses, while mobile platforms can help expand reach, delivering education and support to even the most remote communities.
Traditional systems laid the foundation. But to meet the scale and urgency of today’s nutrition crisis, we must pair them with AI and digital innovation to build faster, smarter and more equitable solutions.