Health Highlights: Aug. 9, 2019

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Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by the editors of HealthDay:

Climate Change Will Harm Food Production, Nutrition: Report

Climate change will lead to food problems such as shortages, higher prices and reduced nutrition, the United Nation’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warns.

In a report on land use released Thursday, the panel said that in certain regions, climate change will force farmers to change from what they’re currently growing due to factors such as increased heat, flooding, snow and moisture in the air, CNN reported.

The nutritional value of food could fall. For example, wheat grown at high carbon dioxide levels would provide 6-13% less protein, 4-7% less zinc and 5-8% less iron, according to the panel.

“We are studying how this would translate into the food we eat and also in a range of different crops, we are seeing similar results,” said report author Cynthia Rosenzweig, senior research scientist and head of the Climate Impacts Group, NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies, CNN reported.

“The window is closing rapidly to have lower emissions and to keep warming to less than 2 degrees.That is the key message of this report,” said report author Pamela McElwee, associate professor of human ecology, School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, Rutgers University, CNN reported.

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