Fruits, vegetables, fish and other healthy foods are becoming increasingly unaffordable for millions of people around the world. According to the UN, nearly one in three people worldwide can no longer afford a nutritious, healthy diet.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) estimates that 2.69 billion people — almost one-third of the world’s population — cannot afford a healthy diet.
The cost of a healthy diet is rising
The main reason for this problem is the rising cost of healthy food. Over the past five years, the average cost of a healthy diet has increased by approximately 25%, reaching $4.28 per person per day. This amount exceeds the international extreme poverty line of $3 per day.
As FAO Chief Economist Máximo Torero Cullen noted, staple foods provide about half of the calories people need but account for only around 13% of the cost of a healthy diet. In contrast, fruits and vegetables provide just 5% of daily calories while making up 16% of the diet’s cost. Animal-source foods, which are essential sources of protein, vitamins and minerals, account for nearly 30% of the total cost.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), unhealthy diets remain one of the leading risk factors for noncommunicable diseases, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes and certain types of cancer.
