All articles tagged with #hunger
Arizona is enforcing tighter SNAP rules under a Trump-era law, causing hundreds of thousands to lose benefits nationwide and about 200,000 children in Arizona to be cut off; hunger and food-bank demand are rising as processing delays and more documentation slow benefits, while experts warn the changes will worsen inequality and health costs.
Nearly 8 million South Sudanese could face acute hunger as conflict, displacement and funding shortfalls deepen a worsening humanitarian crisis; about 2.2 million children aged 6 months to 5 years are acutely malnourished, with 700,000 at grave risk, and aid groups warn that services are collapsing without urgent international action.
New research suggests weight management depends not just on what you eat but how you think about it: beliefs about a meal can alter hunger hormones like ghrelin and GLP-1, affecting fullness. Labeling foods as 'healthy' can dampen satisfaction and increase intake, while a restraint mindset may trigger overeating later. The takeaway is to trust your body, avoid deprivation language, enjoy mostly unprocessed foods, and allow occasional treats as part of a balanced plan.
Somalia is facing a rapidly worsening hunger crisis driven by three consecutive failed rainy seasons, drought and ongoing conflict. About 6.5 million people are skipping meals, with more than 2 million in IPC Phase 4 and 1.8 million children under five at risk of acute malnutrition; over 3.3 million people have been displaced. Aid funding is woefully short—only about 20% of the $1.42 billion appeal has been received—forcing cuts in services, rising prices, and closures of health facilities as displacement and needs rise.
Frontline soldiers in the 14th Brigade near Kharkiv were reportedly starved and drinking rainwater, prompting the Army’s General Staff to remove an army commander and demote another for not reporting the dire conditions. The issue is tied to disrupted logistics due to drone and missile activity across the Oskil River, with the Joint Forces Task Force criticizing long‑term management failures and sending additional supplies as the brigade’s new commander, Colonel Taras Maksimov, takes corrective action and authorities vow to evacuate affected troops and prioritize their health.
Viral photos showing four soldiers from Ukraine’s 2nd Mechanized Battalion of the 14th Separate Mechanized Brigade gaunt and exhausted prompted a Defense Ministry response. The ministry said the brigade commander has taken personal control to address extreme supply issues on a hard-fought Kharkiv front (Kupyansk area), stressing that while logistics are complicated, this is a battlefield reality rather than negligence. Food and water are often delivered on foot or by drone, with ammunition priorities sometimes delaying sustenance and creating deadly trade-offs for frontline troops.
Residents in Gaza allege Hamas members target desperate widows and young mothers, offering food and relief in exchange for sex; five women claim coercive encounters, with some reporting coverups and calls for scrutiny of aid groups amid the Gaza humanitarian crisis.
A joint IPC-AP report warns that soaring oil prices, driven by ongoing conflict, have prompted Haiti to raise kerosene, diesel, and gasoline prices in April, worsening hunger and forcing vulnerable families toward one-meal days amid displacement from gang violence.
GLP-1 drugs (used for diabetes and obesity) reveal that hunger is a fluctuating biological signal governed by gut hormones and digestion, not willpower alone. By prolonging the post‑meal satiety state and slowing gastric emptying, these medications can achieve about 5–8% weight loss, though effects often fade after stopping and weight can be regained. Appetite regulation emerges from a gut–brain axis involving hormones like GLP‑1 and ghrelin, influenced by activity, nutrition, circadian rhythms, and the food environment. The broader implications include shifts in how obesity is understood, as well as ongoing questions about long‑term use, access, and nutrition management alongside treatment.
A month-long study with 90 healthy adults using continuous glucose monitors and smartphone mood checks found that mood worsens primarily when people perceive hunger, not simply when blood sugar drops. Those with higher interoceptive accuracy—better awareness of internal bodily states—showed fewer mood swings. Hunger signals involve the hypothalamus and insula, and improving interoception through attention to body cues and exercise may help stabilize moods and prevent impulsive eating. The piece, republished from The Conversation, also notes the everyday relevance for parents managing kids' meals.
Millions of Afghans face severe hunger and hardship due to significant cuts in international aid, economic struggles, natural disasters, and the return of refugees, with vulnerable populations suffering from food shortages, rising living costs, and limited access to basic services amid ongoing crises.
The article explains why people often have room for dessert after a meal, highlighting physiological factors like stomach flexibility and brain reward pathways, as well as psychological and cultural influences that make sweet foods particularly tempting and enjoyable, even when physically full.
Millions of Americans are facing a food crisis due to halted SNAP benefits amid government shutdown and rising food costs, forcing families to make difficult choices about essentials like food and rent, with uncertainty about when aid will resume.
The article argues that the recent SNAP food benefit shutdown was a deliberate outcome of Republican policies, particularly the Big Beautiful Bill, which restricted benefit updates, shifted costs to states, and targeted immigrant families, ultimately weakening the safety net and increasing hunger among vulnerable populations.
Democrats accuse the Trump administration of intentionally withholding SNAP benefits, which could affect 42 million Americans, by not using available contingency funds, leading to a legal challenge and political controversy over the handling of food assistance programs.