It is a systematic analysis from several studies.
It is not about deaths from hunger but deaths which are related to poor diet as in lack of nutrients.
In the study they selected 15 dietary risk factors which they evaluated.
These 15 are: fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, nuts/seeds, milk, calcium, fibre, omega-3-fatty acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids, red meat, processed meat, sugar-sweetened beverages, trans fats and sodium.
Some of these dietary risk factors, you need a lot (as in fruit and vegetables) and others you need a little (as in sodium).
I have found several maps where a number of these dietary risks are separately displayed by country.
With these maps you can easily see the difference between India and Pakistan when looked at the dietary risk factors and thereby understand why Pakistan has more diet-related deaths than India.
Fruit (A) and vegetables (B) intake (g/d)
Nut and seed (A) and whole grain (B) intake (g/d)
Seafood (A) and unprocessed red meat (B) intake (g/d)
Processed meat (C) intake (g/d)
https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/5/9/e008705
Saturated fat and omega 6 polyunsaturated fat intake (% energy)
Trans fat and cholesterol intake (% energy)
Seafood omega 3 fat and plant omega 3 fat intake (mg/day)
https://www.bmj.com/content/348/bmj.g2272
When you only compare the results of India and Pakistan in the maps where done of the the dietary risk displayed is also used in the study where the map from the original post comes from, then you will see:
India:
- Higher vegetable intake
- Higher nut and seed intake
- Higher whole grain intake
- Lower (unprocessed) red meat intake
- Lower processed meat intake
- Higher (omega 6) polyunsaturated fat intake
- Lower trans fat intake
- Higher plant omega 3 fat intake
India and Pakistan have:
- Equal fruit intake
- Equal seafood omega 3 fat intake
The above results are an explanation why India has less diet related deaths than Pakistan.
Although the following factors were not one of the 15 dietary risk factors, they probably also play a part in diet-related deaths.
India also has:
- Higher seafood intake
Pakistan also has:
- Lower saturated fat intake
India and Pakistan have:
- Equal cholesterol intake
Saudi Arabia is a high income country and India not.
But that does not mean that they have a proper diet.
For example:
The Saudi Health Interview Survey was a national survey of population age ≥15 years.
Only 7.6% of respondents consumed ≥5 servings of vegetables, fruits, or fresh juice per day.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6124832/
While in India, 10.4% of the adolescents consume ≥5 servings of vegetables and fruits per day.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5785955/
Because Saudi Arabia is a high income country, they are able to have a more Westernized diet, which in their case means fast food.
... the prevalence of diabetes in the Kingdom is exacerbated by the consumption of junk food and beverages.
... in most cases, people did not follow proper and healthy diets and were found to be consuming too much sugar and foods with a high-calorie count.
“Reports also showed excessive consumption of fast foods, which are the major cause of obesity,”...
...and indulging in eating just for fun lead to obesity and diseases like diabetes and (high) blood pressure,”
http://www.arabnews.com/node/1196261/saudi-arabia
Since they eat a lot of fast food, which of course contains a lot of sugar, salt, fats and little nutrients, this poor diet will of course have its effect on diet-related deaths.
Which explains why, even though Saudi Arabia is a high income country with a developed healthcare system, their lifestyle causes many diseases and diet-related deaths.
Apparently this makes them fall in the same category as India.
