The term “hidden hunger” is used to describe vitamin and mineral deficiency. When someone's habitual diet consists of foods that lack the necessary levels of micronutrients, the resulting health impacts may not always be acutely visible.

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Article Hidden hunger: Food insecurity in the age of coronavirus

Malnutrition is called (hidden hunger) because it is not always visible. People with hidden hunger may not look underweight or malnourished, but they may be deficient in essential vitamins and minerals. This can lead to a variety of health problems, including stunted growth, impaired cognitive development, and increased risk of disease.

Here are some of the reasons why malnutrition is called hidden hunger:

• It is often difficult to detect. The symptoms of micronutrient deficiencies are often subtle and can be mistaken for other conditions.
• It can be caused by a variety of factors, including poor diet, lack of access to clean water, and chronic diseases.
• It can affect people of all ages, but it is most common in children, pregnant women, and lactating mothers.

Food security is ensured in a country through a variety of interventions, including:

• Increasing agricultural productivity. This can be done through improved farming practices, irrigation, and access to fertilizers and pesticides.
• Diversifying diets. This can be done by promoting the consumption of fruits, vegetables, and other nutrient-rich foods.
• Fortifying foods. This involves adding essential vitamins and minerals to foods that are commonly consumed, such as flour and salt.
• Providing micronutrient supplements. This can be done through government programs or through private companies.
• Improving sanitation and hygiene. This can help to reduce the incidence of diarrheal diseases, which can contribute to micronutrient deficiencies.

It is important to address hidden hunger because it can have a serious impact on people's health and well-being. By ensuring food security, countries can help to improve the health and productivity of their populations.

Here are some additional things that can be done to address hidden hunger:

• Raising awareness about the problem. Many people are not aware of the risks of hidden hunger. Raising awareness can help to encourage people to make healthier food choices.
• Investing in research. More research is needed to understand the causes and consequences of hidden hunger. This research can help to develop more effective interventions.
• Working with communities. Local communities can play a key role in addressing hidden hunger. They can help to raise awareness, promote healthy diets, and improve access to essential foods and services.

Dr Manal Hadi Kanaan and Dr Murtadha Shukur thank you for your contribution to the discussion

Dr Murtadha Shukur thank you for your contribution to the discussion

Micronutrient deficiency or malnutrition, commonly referred to as “hidden hunger,” is a severe health concern. Access to safe and nutritious food is critical, and occasionally, owing to a lack of a balanced diet, a lack of variety in the diet, or food insecurity, individuals do not receive essential micronutrients. Firstly, by ensuring there is enough food for everyone. Secondly, all people have the capacity and resources to have access to adequate food. Lastly, there should not exist any barrier to access to food. India ensures food security by creating a buffer stock and public distribution system. The 'hidden hunger' due to micronutrient deficiency does not produce hunger as we know it. You might not feel it in the belly, but it strikes at the core of your health and vitality. Hidden hunger is a term that refers to a form of deficiency by eating food that is insufficient in vitamins and micronutrients. Although monitored and understood, the issue of micronutrient deficiency often goes unnoticed, hence the coining of the term 'hidden hunger'. Hidden hunger refers to a situation in which a crop needs more of a given nutrient yet has shown no deficiency symptoms. The nutrient content is above the deficiency symptom zone but still considerably needed for optimum crop production. Hidden hunger is often the result of a diet that relies too much on staple carbohydrates like corn, rice and cassava that are low-cost and filling but not very nutritious and not enough on nutrient-packed fruits, vegetables and animal products. Such nutrients include the metals manganese, copper, zinc, iron and boron. Symptoms aren't always apparent. Scientists call the phenomenon "hidden hunger." "Plant nutrition has a big effect on the plant's susceptibility to disease," Huber says. Key strategies, among others, to reduce hidden hunger include improving diet quality through increased consumption of micronutrient-dense foods and fortifying staple foods and condiments that are otherwise nutrient-poor. The food security in a country is ensured by following three parameters. Firstly, by ensuring there is enough food for everyone. Secondly, all people have the capacity and resources to have access to adequate food. Lastly, there should not exist any barrier to access to food. Hidden hunger is a form of under nutrition that occurs when intake and absorption of vitamins and minerals (such as zinc, iodine, and iron) are too low to sustain good health and development. When someone is severely food insecure, they have run out of food and gone a day or more without eating. In other words, they have most likely experienced hunger. Severe food insecurity is one extreme of the scale, but even moderate food insecurity is worrisome