UN report: 2.69 billion cannot afford healthy diet
7 reported
A new report from five United Nations agencies finds that one in three people globally cannot afford a healthy diet, with 2.69 billion people unable to meet their energy and nutrient needs. The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2026 report warns that achieving the global target of zero hunger by 2030 will require “immense” work. Global hunger declined for a third consecutive year in 2025, affecting 7.8% of people, down from 8.1% in 2024, and a prolonged upward trend in Africa appears to be halting. However, the proportion unable to afford a healthy diet remains “extremely high,” according to Maximo Torero, chief economist of the Food and Agriculture Organization. The report calculates the cost of a healthy diet at 4.28 purchasing power parity dollars per day, significantly above the extreme poverty line of $3 PPP per day. In Africa, 66.6% of the population could not afford a healthy diet in 2025, more than double the levels in Asia or Latin America and the Caribbean, and Africa now has the highest number of hungry people at about 309 million, surpassing Asia’s 292 million.
What’s reported
2.69 billion people cannot afford a healthy diet, according to the report.
Global hunger fell to 7.8% in 2025, down from 8.1% in 2024.
The cost of a healthy diet is 4.28 PPP dollars per day, above the extreme poverty line of $3 PPP.
In Africa, 66.6% of the population could not afford a healthy diet in 2025.
Africa now has about 309 million hungry people, surpassing Asia’s 292 million.
Adult obesity rose from 12.1% in 2012 to 16.2% in 2024, per WHO data.
The report is authored by FAO, WHO, Unicef, the UN World Food Programme, and the International Fund for Agricultural Development.
Key figures
Maximo Torero, chief economist of the Food and Agriculture Organization.
Sources: The Guardian
