Final answer:
While food surpluses exist in some regions, malnutrition persists due to poverty and lack of access to nutritious food showing that the presence of a surplus does not guarantee nourishment for the malnourished.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question of whether worldwide, most malnourished children live in countries with food surpluses is somewhat complex. The reality is that food surpluses might exist alongside malnutrition due to factors such as poverty, distribution challenges, and education on nutrition. It's not strictly a matter of food being available; it's also about whether the food is accessible and affordable to those in need. Adequate food distribution and the ability to obtain nutritious food are hindered by socio-economic factors and inequalities, resulting in malnutrition even in regions that produce or have surplus food. Reports indicate that while worldwide food supply may be adequate, the distribution and accessibility issues mean that most undernutrition occurs in areas with poverty such as parts of Africa and Asia.
Additionally undernutrition can coexist with obesity within the same households, especially in low- and middle-income countries, due to a reliance on energy-dense foods high in fats and sugars. Though undernutrition is less common in affluent countries, it exists due to wealth inequalities and food deserts. In such cases even in countries like the United States, socioeconomic disparities create situations where people cannot access sufficient nutritious food, leading to malnourishment. Hence the existence of food surpluses does not ensure that malnourished children will have the nourishment they need.