ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2 ('Zero Hunger') aims to end all forms of hunger and malnutrition by 2030. Thus, a range of different strategies are needed to facilitate the achievement of SDG 2 to overcome challenges and enable synergies between various SDG targets. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this review is to highlight Africa's progress toward SDG 2, including targets, strategies, synergies and challenges. METHODS: We scrutinized published research articles in peer-reviewed journals, UN reports and in-country Africa reports (between 2015 and 2020) that were relevant to the current topic. RESULTS: Several hunger indicators are showing slow progress or even deterioration in Africa. The prevalence of undernourishment in the general population was 19.1% in 2019 and is expected to increase to 25.7% by 2030. Improvements in child stunting in several regions in Africa are slow, especially in sub-Saharan Africa where about 34% of under-fives were stunted in 2012 and 31% in 2019. In Eastern Africa, stunting prevalence decreased from 38% in 2012 to 34% in 2019. Major drivers of hunger are poor governance and state fragility, war and conflicts, increasing inequality, weak economic development, climate change, biodegradation - and now lately the Covid 19 pandemic - factors that all increase food insecurity. CONCLUSION: Africa is off track to reach SDG - 'Zero Hunger' - by 2030. Current efforts and progress are insufficient. Africa must champion the SDG agenda on a national, regional and global level to facilitate synergies to unlock the potential for reaching 'Zero Hunger' throughout the continent.
ABSTRACT
Post-exertional malaise and delayed recovery are hallmark symptoms of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). Studies on repeated cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) show that previous exercise negatively affects oxygen uptake (VO2 ) and power output (PO) in ME/CFS. Whether this affects arterial lactate concentrations ([Laa ]) is unknown. We studied 18 female patients (18-50 years) fulfilling the Canadian Consensus Criteria for ME/CFS and 15 healthy females (18-50 years) who underwent repeated CPETs 24 h apart (CPET1 and CPET2 ) with [Laa ] measured every 30th second. VO2 at peak exercise (VO2peak ) was lower in patients than in controls on CPET1 (P < 0.001) and decreased in patients on CPET2 (P < 0.001). However, the difference in VO2peak between CPETs did not differ significantly between groups. [Laa ] per PO was higher in patients during both CPETs (Pinteraction < 0.001), but increased in patients and decreased in controls from CPET1 to CPET2 (Pinteraction < 0.001). Patients had lower VO2 (P = 0.02) and PO (P = 0.002) at the gas exchange threshold (GET, the point where CO2 production increases relative to VO2 ), but relative intensity (%VO2peak ) and [Laa ] at GET did not differ significantly from controls on CPET1 . Patients had a reduction in VO2 (P = 0.02) and PO (P = 0.01) at GET on CPET2 , but no significant differences in %VO2peak and [Laa ] at GET between CPETs. Controls had no significant differences in VO2 , PO or %VO2peak at GET between CPETs, but [Laa ] at GET was reduced on CPET2 (P = 0.008). In conclusion, previous exercise deteriorates physical performance and increases [Laa ] during exercise in patients with ME/CFS while it lowers [Laa ] in healthy subjects.