UN report: Global hunger crisis hit five-year high in 2020

Homeless men queue to receive a meal in downtown Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by MAURO PIMENTEL/AFP via Getty Images)

At least 155 million people across the globe faced severe hunger in 2020, including 133,000 who needed urgent food to prevent widespread death from starvation, according to a new report by the United Nations. 

Researchers say that the number of people experiencing food insecurity - who are at or above what's called a "crisis" level - is at its highest level in five years.

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Between 2019 and last year, there was an increase of nearly 20,000,000 who didn't have enough to eat, and 133,000 people were at the "Catastrophe/Famine" phase, which means, essentially, they were starving.

Research says if no action is taken, millions of people worldwide will be at risk of experiencing famine.