Wealthy countries fear GM crops, while developing nations say they will ‘mostly help,’ poll shows

Up to 60 percent of people worldwide are worried the food they eat will harm them in the next two years, according to a poll.

More than half also expect they will be seriously harmed in the coming couple of years by eating unsafe food. The survey was conducted by Gallup as part of its World Poll and is based on interviews with 150,000 people in 142 countries in the second half of 2019.

The Lloyd’s Register Foundation World Risk Poll also found more than half of those asked are concerned about the safety of water they drink. The charity is funded by profits from Lloyd’s Register.

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Genetically modified (GM) food is seen as a high risk with 48 percent of people worldwide saying they think these foods will mostly harm people during the next 20 years. This view is mostly held by people in higher-income nations where GM foods are seen as a safety issue such as in Greece where 84 percent of those asked think GM foods are more likely to harm them. In lower income countries 42 percent think that they will mostly help people during the next 20 years.

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