Last night I watched The Biggest Loser for the first time. It was an inspiring and encouraging show. Except for the minor terror I experienced upon seeing the trainer for the Black Team. Seriously, is there any force more formidable than Jillian Michaels? And although I was so proud of the contestants for their hard work and diligence, I couldn’t help but feel disgusted that we Americans gluttonously consume more than our bodies could ever need or want.
Today I’ve been reflecting on the fact that I’ve never gone to bed hungry because the cupboards were empty. I’ve never known what it feels like to sell personal belongings in exchange for a meal. I’ve never experienced the humility of begging for food by the side of the road.
Last week, the International Food Policy Research Group issued the 2009 Global Hunger Index Report. According to the report, 29 countries have alarming or extremely alarming levels of hunger.
Scoring the worst? You guessed it: Democratic Republic of Congo.
With the correlation between hunger and gender inequality, the International Food Policy Research Institution (IFPRI) suggests an important part of the solution to ending world hunger will be to educate and empower women and girls. Seems easy, right?
Obviously the problem of world hunger is much larger than my mind can grasp. But I know that The Biggest Loser this season won’t be a contestant from the television program. The Biggest Loser will likely be the one of the millions who are affected by the economic crisis. One of the children who suffer from malnutrition or the mother who forgoes her portion so that her child may eat.
Megan On A Mission 