What is the single biggest obstacle to feeding the human population of the world?
Faïd Souhaïli,
Mayotte, France

It would be difficult to single out one obstacle as the main cause, but what we can clearly recognize is our inability to fulfil the demand for food. It is a predicament to talk about severe food shortages when food is available in abundance and when the Earth is capable of feeding many more people than are now alive.

Issues such as poverty, the impact of climate change, civil conflict, economic crises, unequal distribution of wealth and trade barriers all pose a big challenge to farmers and the agricultural sector.

But we should also recognize that there are places where people have made dramatic turnarounds to tackle food shortages. We have to follow such examples to meet the needs of the poor. Those who spend millions of dollars to persuade governments and agro-industry to control food prices should be compassionate towards the poor.

Sugar is both the white crystalline substance that we know as sugar and use to sweeten our tea, coffee, cakes and biscuits, and a basic element in starchy food.

It is deliciously sweet, addictive and it is difficult to avoid the temptation to have more of it. People develop a strong taste and craving for it from a very young age.

If the amount of sugar we consume is over the limit, it can have serious consequences for our health and well-being. The damage sugar causes to the human body includes dental deterioration such as tooth cavities, bleeding gums, loss of teeth, failure of bone structure, chronic fatigue, anxiety, irritability, hyperactivity, depression, hypertension, heart disease and diabetes.

I am not trying to scare you off sugar altogether; the fact is that our bodies need it in some form to function properly. But too much of anything is dangerous to health. Be responsible for your health.

There is a general assumption that people become too fat because they eat a lot of food. This is often wrong. People may or may not have access to plenty of food, but the problem of getting fat is related to an unhealthy diet. It can happen if people are not made aware of the impact of what they eat on their health and well-being. The human body loves a lot of fatty and sugary foods, which are concentrated sources of calories. These are dangerous products if consumed to excess. It is one thing to enjoy what we eat - but we need to limit its impact on our health.

Another factor is physical inactivity. There is a tendency not to do any physical exercise that would help the human body to be healthy, but to eat, sit and be physically inactive. People should make a habit of taking a few minutes to walk, jog or run.

A healthy life can only come when we take responsibility for our own body, mind, soul and the environment. The best way to eat for a healthy life is by balancing the different types of food in our diet to make us healthy and full of energy.

We have to cut back on sweet, oily and fatty food, as well as on unhealthy habits such as smoking and drinking alcohol.

It is important to increase the intake of fruits and vegetables in our diet. They provide vitamins and minerals, as well as fibre and energy, offer a number of health benefits and could help prevent such scourges as heart disease, diabetes, certain cancers and obesity.