Malnutrition is becoming the “new normal” as rising rates of obesity across the world coincide with persistent undernutrition in many poorer countries, according to a major study released Tuesday. The Global Nutrition Report says the number of people who are obese or overweight is rising almost everywhere, fuelling an increase in diabetes and other diseases. Malnutrition covers a range of problems — from deficiencies in important vitamins and minerals for the undernourished to excessive levels of sugar, salt, fat or cholesterol in the blood for the obese.

By Kate Kelland LONDON (Reuters) – A third of people worldwide are either undernourished or overweight, driving increasing rates of disease and piling pressure on health services, a global report showed on Tuesday. Rates of obese or overweight people are rising in every region of the world, and in nearly every country, according to the 2016 Global Nutrition Report – an annual independent stock take of the state of the world’s nutrition. Malnutrition comes in many forms – including poor child growth and development and vulnerability to infection among those who do not get enough food, and obesity, heart disease, diabetes and cancer risks in people who are overweight or whose blood contains too much sugar, salt, fat or cholesterol.