Kitchens, cafeterias, restaurants, and supermarkets are the places where we decide what grows on our 2,000 m². With every purchase, we tell farmers what to produce and to what standard. Every fine ingredient, every salad, every loaf of bread, every sausage, and every bag of chips has its own special place where it was grown—and which it thereby helps shape. In the case of processed foods, these are usually many places, often thousands of kilometers apart.
In Europe, most people—whether rich or poor—face the challenge of not eating too much or eating the wrong foods. Here, about 3,500 kilocalories are available per person (from infants to the elderly) each day. [12] Anyone who consumes 3,500 kilocalories every day and does not engage in competitive sports, perform heavy labor, or is currently breastfeeding will become overweight, which will eventually become life-threatening. In Afghanistan, an average of 2,200 kilocalories is available—barely enough for a healthy life [13]—while in India, with 2,500, and in China, with 3,400, there is more than enough. Nevertheless, millions of people there go hungry because distribution is unequal. Malnutrition and overnutrition often exist side by side. Worldwide, 3.1 billion people—or 42 percent—cannot afford to eat a healthy diet; in Africa, the figure is as high as 78 percent. [14]
How many kilograms of food of plant and animal origin (including dairy products) are available per person in different regions of the world? [12]
