Will our world’s future see the rich develop into a super species marked by a diet optimized to genetic makeup while the poor, marred by substandard living conditions and malnourishment, develop in a stunted manner marring both physical and mental potential?

This was one of the questions addressed at “Hidden Hunger: Socioeconomic and Scientific Challenges,” held in Santa Barbara on March 12 and sponsored by the humanitarian initiative Sight and Life, the USC School of Pharmacy, the Oxygen Club of California and the Linus Pauling Institute.

The conference was attended by noted economists, nutrition experts and scientists, including two Nobel Laureates and a Medal of Science winner, from 11 countries.

Attendees from USC included event organizer Lester Packer, adjunct professor at the School of Pharmacy; Enrique Cadenas, associate dean for research affairs at the school; and Derick Han, assistant professor of research at the Keck School of Medicine of USC.

Also in attendance were School of Pharmacy students Jerry Chang, Danielle Colayco, Marcio Fletes and Jane Pai, who are considering corporate careers or positions in government dealing with pharmaceutical economics policy.

The session was framed around the need to develop a sustainable approach to making available high-quality food interventions worldwide. While establishing good nutrition as a human right was put forth, the group also discussed the return on investment, noting the global economic loss due to malnutrition.

Colayco, a Pharm.D. student who is considering a fellowship next year in industry, was struck by the presentation of University of California, Berkeley professor Daniel McFadden, a Nobel prize winner in economics.

“Dr. McFadden presented research that showed how health disparities between socioeconomic classes were not explained by differential access to health care but rather by disparities in nutrition,” Colayco said. “Clearly, public policy and health education initiatives are urgently needed.”

Zulfiqar Bhutta of Aga Khan University in Karachi discussed the importance of making economic arguments to support the provision of good nutrition, citing vitamin and mineral deficiency as robbing many countries of as much of 5 pecent of their gross domestic product. Bhutta believes that linking the issue to economics presents the best chance of solving the problem.

The roundtable suggested two primary objectives to address hidden hunger: the development of strategies that improve the availability of micronutrient-rich and low-cost supplementary foods and the need for all sectors of society in developing and industrialized nations to work together to solve this pressing problem.

“Methods such as improved sanitation and good nutrition help create an environment of equal opportunity for all,” said Pai, who has a Pharm.D. and MPH from USC and is now pursuing a Ph.D. in the School of Pharmacy’s program in pharmaceutical economics and policy, during a discussion segment of the conference. “This so clearly impacts economic status.”

Pai’s perception is noteworthy as malnutrition stunts the lives and livelihoods of 2 billion people worldwide.

The roundtable was followed by a two-day symposium on “Oxidants and Antioxidants in Biology,” organized by Cadenas, the Charles Krown/Pharmacy Alumni Professor in Pharmacutical Sciences at the School of Pharmacy, and adjunct professor Packer, along with colleagues from other universities.

Roberta Brinton, holder of the R. Pete Vanderveen Chair in Therapeutic Discovery and Development, presented at the symposium.