A serious health threat is hanging over Asia, putting hundreds of millions of lives at risk. It's not swine flu, nor dengue fever, nor any other infectious disease. It's much deadlier than epidemics of those but it gets much less attention because its effects are only felt in the long term.
Malnutrition - both under- and over-nutrition - is pushing a quarter of the region's population into the arms of early death. In the Asia-Pacific region alone, 578 million people are undernourished, World Health Organisation figures show. In India, half of all children under five have stunted growth, and in mainland China, three out of 10 pregnant women are anaemic.
Unlike many developed regions, Asia bears a double burden - undernourishment and obesity at the same time.
In countries such as India and China, with rapidly growing economies, more people are becoming obese and developing associated lifestyle problems, even as millions go hungry. About 10 per cent of the Chinese population have diabetes and more than 40 per cent of men have high blood pressure, according to WHO figures on non-communicable diseases for last year.
It is not just our physical health that is suffering. According to World Bank estimates, reduced productivity caused by malnutrition shaves 3 per cent off global gross domestic product each year.
Even if people are not starving, malnutrition leaves them more prone to illness, according to Dr Francesco Branca, director of the WHO's department of nutrition for health and development.