Covid-19 pandemic undermining efforts to improve diets of 2bn people, says UN.

ISLAMABAD -- The economic impact of Covid-19 on the world's most populous region, Asia and the Pacific, is undermining efforts to improve diets and nutrition of nearly two billion people, who were unable to afford healthy diets even prior to the pandemic, says a report published by four specialised agencies of the United Nations.

The report, titled 'Asia and the Pacific Regional Overview of Food Security and Nutrition 2020: Maternal and Child Diets at the Heart of Improving Nutrition', was jointly published by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), Unicef, World Food Programme (WFP) and WHO on Wednesday.

The report found that 1.9bn people were unable to afford healthy diets before the Covid-19 outbreak and the pandemic had further worsened the situation.

Due to high prices of fruits, vegetables and dairy products, it has become nearly impossible for the poor people in Asia and the Pacific to take healthy diets, the affordability of which is critical to ensuring food security and nutrition for all, particularly for mothers and children.

Food prices and available incomes govern household decisions on food and dietary intake, but the Covid-19 pandemic and lack of decent work opportunities in several parts of the region, alongside significant...