Amidst the deluge of theories about the causes of the world’s obesity problem comes a novel idea from the UN Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) that obesity can actually be caused by not eating enough.

Discover B2B Marketing That Performs

Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.

Find out more


Its study has focused on pregnant women and has concluded that where they are undernourished, there is a “growing body of empirical evidence” suggesting that their foetal tissues are programmed to “get the most out of the food energy available.”


This ability is retained after a baby is born and onwards into adulthood, “leading to over-nourishment in adult life when coupled with greater food availability and a more sedentary lifestyle.”

Just Food Excellence Awards - Nominations Closed

Nominations are now closed for the Just Food Excellence Awards. A big thanks to all the organisations that entered – your response has been outstanding, showcasing exceptional innovation, leadership, and impact.

Excellence in Action
Winning five categories in the 2025 Just Food Excellence Awards, Centric Software is setting the pace for digital transformation in food and FMCG. Explore how its integrated PLM and PXM suite delivers faster launches, smarter compliance and data-driven growth for complex, multi-channel product portfolios.

Discover the Impact