A new report from five UN agencies has found that one in three people globally cannot afford a healthy diet, with 2.69 billion individuals unable to meet their energy and nutrient needs. The annual 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” efforts.
Global hunger declines but affordability remains a challenge
Global hunger declined for a third consecutive year in 2025, affecting 7.8% of the population, down from 8.1% in 2024. There are also signs that a prolonged upward trend in Africa is halting. However, the proportion of people unable to afford a healthy diet remains “extremely high,” according to Maximo Torero, chief economist of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), one of the report’s authors.
The report calculates the cost of a healthy diet at 4.28 purchasing power parity (PPP) dollars per day. Torero noted that the extreme poverty line is $3 PPP per person, making healthy diets significantly more expensive.
Policy focus on staples rather than diverse foods
Torero highlighted that government policies have typically subsidized cereals and starchy staples rather than meat, dairy, fruit, and vegetables. “That means calories, but not a diversity of diet,” he said, pointing to the impact on obesity and diseases such as cancer and diabetes. World Health Organization (WHO) figures show adult obesity rose from 12.1% in 2012 to 16.2% in 2024. “It’s extremely urgent,” Torero said, emphasizing the need to minimize risks and hidden costs from rising obesity.
He called for investment in infrastructure, research, and development. Modelling suggests more efficient supply chains could reduce costs of meat, dairy, fruit, and vegetables. New policies to encourage greater consumption of fruit and vegetables could also reduce the economic impact of health issues linked to poor diets.
Africa faces highest hunger numbers
In Africa, 66.6% of the population was unable to afford a healthy diet in 2025, more than double the levels in Asia or Latin America and the Caribbean. For the first time, Africa has the highest number of hungry people, with about 309 million, surpassing Asia’s 292 million. The rise is largely driven by higher population growth, though the proportion of hungry people is starting to decrease “for the first time in years,” Torero said. He noted that this is significant given a reduction in overseas development assistance in the region. Shipping restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz linked to the Middle East conflict are likely to affect next year’s figures.
The report is authored by the FAO, WHO, UNICEF, the UN World Food Programme, and the International Fund for Agricultural Development.
