Nearly one in every three people around the world is still unable to afford a healthy diet, despite a third consecutive annual decline in global hunger, according to a new United Nations report that warns the world remains far off track from achieving Zero Hunger by 2030.
The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2026 report, produced jointly by five UN agencies, estimates that 2.69 billion people cannot afford the variety of foods needed to meet basic nutritional requirements, highlighting that food affordability remains one of the biggest obstacles to tackling malnutrition.
The report found that while the share of the global population experiencing hunger fell to 7.8 per cent in 2025, down from 8.1 per cent in 2024, the cost of eating healthily remains beyond the reach of billions.
According to the report, a healthy diet now costs an average of $4.28 per person per day based on purchasing power parity (PPP), significantly higher than the international extreme poverty threshold of $3 per day.
UN officials said the figures demonstrate that escaping extreme poverty does not necessarily mean people can afford nutritious meals.
Healthy food remains out of reach
The Food and Agriculture Organization’s Chief Economist, Máximo Torero, said many governments have traditionally focused food support policies on staple crops such as rice, maize and wheat, while failing to improve access to more nutritious foods.
He noted that although these staples provide enough calories to prevent starvation, they often fail to supply the vitamins, minerals and protein needed for healthy living.
Torero said foods such as fruits, vegetables, dairy products and quality protein remain too expensive for many households, contributing to rising levels of poor nutrition and diet-related diseases.
He warned that unhealthy eating habits are increasingly fuelling obesity and non-communicable diseases worldwide.
Data from the World Health Organization cited in the report showed that adult obesity increased from 12.1 per cent in 2012 to 16.2 per cent in 2024, reflecting a growing global health challenge.
Call for urgent investment
The UN agencies urged governments to invest in agricultural research, transportation infrastructure and food supply chains to reduce production and distribution costs.
According to the report, improving supply chains could significantly lower the prices of fruits, vegetables, meat and dairy products, making healthier diets more accessible.
It also recommended introducing policies that encourage greater consumption of nutritious foods while supporting farmers to increase production of diverse food crops.
The report argued that improving diets would not only reduce malnutrition but also lower the long-term healthcare costs associated with obesity, diabetes, heart disease and certain cancers.
Africa remains hardest hit
Africa continues to bear the greatest burden of food insecurity, with 66.6 per cent of the continent’s population unable to afford a healthy diet in 2025.
That figure is more than twice the level recorded in Asia and Latin America combined.
For the first time, Africa is also home to the world’s largest number of hungry people.
The report estimates that 309 million Africans experienced hunger in 2025, compared with 292 million in Asia.
However, the UN noted an encouraging development, saying the proportion of Africans suffering from hunger has begun to decline after years of continuous increases.
Experts attributed the continent’s rising overall number of hungry people largely to rapid population growth rather than worsening hunger rates.
Fresh concerns over global food prices
The report also warned that renewed geopolitical tensions could reverse recent progress.
UN economists expressed concern that disruptions to international shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and wider instability in the Middle East may drive up food and energy prices in the coming months.
Higher transport and fuel costs could make nutritious foods even more expensive, particularly for developing countries that depend heavily on food imports.
The report concluded that while progress has been made in reducing hunger globally, achieving the Sustainable Development Goal of ending hunger by 2030 will require stronger international cooperation, sustained investment and policies that make healthy diets affordable for everyone.
