Famine: The conditions when at least 20 per cent of households in an area face extreme food shortages with a limited ability to cope; acute malnutrition rates exceed 30 per cent; and the death rate exceeds two persons per day per 10,000 persons. (From news.un.org/en/story/2011/07/382342-when-food-security-crisis-become

NIH MeSH · D000079685Technology, Industry, and Agriculture

Famine

Definition

The conditions when at least 20 per cent of households in an area face extreme food shortages with a limited ability to cope; acute malnutrition rates exceed 30 per cent; and the death rate exceeds two persons per day per 10,000 persons. (From news.un.org/en/story/2011/07/382342-when-food-security-crisis-becomes-famine)

MeSH classification

  • J01.576.423.750.500

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Related concepts

Access to Healthy Foods

Convenient availability to affordable foods that support healthy eating patterns. Access may be limited due to having a limited income or li…

Food Deserts

Areas characterized by relatively poor access to healthy and affordable food.

Food Insecurity

Limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate and safe foods or limited or uncertain ability to acquire acceptable foods in sa…

Food Markets

Retail markets that sell food, especially fresh produce, meat, and seafood.

Food Security

Access generally by all in a community to enough nutritious food for an active, healthy life. (from http://www.fns.usda.gov/fsec/ accessed 4…

Food Supply

The production and movement of food items from point of origin to use or consumption.

Common questions about Famine

What does Famine mean in medicine?
The conditions when at least 20 per cent of households in an area face extreme food shortages with a limited ability to cope; acute malnutrition rates exceed 30 per cent; and the death rate exceeds two persons per day per 10,000 persons. (From news.un.org/en/story/2011/07/382342-when-food-security-crisis-becomes-famine) This definition is taken from the National Library of Medicine's MeSH (Medical Subject Headings) 2026 release, which is the standard vocabulary used to index PubMed and most medical literature.
Is Famine known by any other names?
Famine is the canonical name in the MeSH vocabulary. There are no commonly used alternate names for this concept in the official NIH database.
Where does Famine sit in the medical classification?
Famine falls under the broader medical category "Technology, Industry, and Agriculture" in the MeSH hierarchy (tree numbers: J01.576.423.750.500). Browsing the related concepts on this page takes you to neighbouring topics in the same branch of medicine.
Where can I get a plain-language explanation of Famine?
For a plain-language explanation of Famine - including symptoms, treatments and what it means for an Indian patient - ask GoDavaii's Health AI. It works in 22+ Indian languages, is free and needs no signup. Tap "Ask GoDavaii AI about Famine" above.

Source: NIH MeSH 2026 (D000079685) — National Library of Medicine, public domain. View official MeSH record ↗