Healthy diet too expensive for one in three people globally, UN report finds

Healthy diet too expensive for one: le Worldwide Wanderstayfinder.com – A new United Nations report reveals that a healthy diet is too expensive for one

Healthy Diet Too Expensive for One in Three People Worldwide

Wanderstayfinder.com – A new United Nations report reveals that a healthy diet is too expensive for one in three people globally, creating significant barriers to nutrition security. The analysis identifies 2.69 billion individuals who cannot afford a diverse diet meeting their energy and nutrient requirements. This finding underscores the challenge of achieving zero hunger by 2030, with experts calling for “immense” efforts to address food affordability worldwide.

Global hunger experienced a third consecutive decline in 2025, affecting 7.8% of the population compared to 8.1% in 2024. Despite this progress, the report highlights that a healthy diet costs 4.28 purchasing power parity (PPP) dollars daily. This threshold exceeds the extreme poverty line of $3PPP per person, making nutritious food inaccessible for many vulnerable populations.

Regional Disparities and Rising Challenges

Africa faces particularly severe challenges, with 66.6% of its population unable to afford a healthy diet in 2025. This figure more than doubles the rates observed in Asia and Latin America and the Caribbean. Africa has now become home to the highest number of hungry people globally, reaching approximately 309 million, surpassing Asia’s 292 million. Population growth drives much of this increase, though the proportion of hungry people is beginning to decrease for the first time in years.

“The extreme poverty line is $3PPP per person. So it’s significantly higher,” said Maximo Torero, chief economist of the Food and Agriculture Organization.

Government policies have traditionally focused on subsidizing cereals and starchy staples rather than meat, dairy, fruit, and vegetables. While this approach provides calories, it fails to ensure dietary diversity. The consequences include rising obesity rates and increased prevalence of diseases such as cancer and diabetes. World Health Organization data shows adult obesity climbed from 12.1% in 2012 to 16.2% in 2024.

Shipping restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz connected to Middle East conflicts may further impact next year’s figures. Additionally, overseas development assistance in Africa has already seen significant reductions in 2025. The report was authored by five UN agencies: the FAO, WHO, Unicef, the UN World Food Programme, and the International Fund for Agricultural Development.

Experts emphasize the urgency of addressing these challenges. Torero noted that obesity is growing at a very steep level, requiring intensive work to minimize risks and hidden costs. The report suggests that more efficient supply chains could reduce costs for meat, dairy, fruit, and vegetables. New policies encouraging greater fruit and vegetable consumption could also deliver economic benefits by reducing health-related expenses linked to poor diets.