0 20 40 60 80 100 120
2000 2017 2000 2017 2000 2017 2000 2017
Processed meat Eggs and their products Sugar and sweeteners Fats and oils
G/CAPITA/DAY
Africa Asia
Latin America and the CaribbeanOceania Northern America and EuropeWorld Low-income countries Lower-middle-income countries Upper-middle-income countries High-income countries
can contribute to high saturated fat and/or salt intakes, and is associated with higher risk of certain types of cancer and other diet-related NCDs.93,96 Furthermore, diets high in animal source foods, particularly beef, lamb, milk and other dairy products have a higher environmental impact than plant-based diets (see Section 2.2).
The availability of sugars and fats is highest in high-income countries, but the largest increases were seen in upper-middle-income countries.
Availability of fats and oils increased steadily for all regions and country income groups from 2000 to 2017 (see Figure 19). The highest increases were observed in upper-middle-income countries.
High-income countries had the highest availability over time, but the smallest increase in percentage change. Looking at sugars and sweeteners, the availability in high-income countries (109 g/
capita/day or 39.8 kg/capita/year) was double that of upper- and lower-middle-income countries in 2017, and four times the amount available in low-income countries.
The findings presented in Figures 17, 18 and 19 are in line with other empirical evidence that shows that in recent decades, diets, particularly from upper-middle-income countries, have shifted away from staples towards more animal source foods, sugars, fats and oils.84,97
Food groups available for consumption differ across country income groups. At the global level, in 2017, cereals, roots, tubers and plantains represent the highest contribution to the total food available for human consumption, both in terms of edible quantities (34 percent) and dietary energy (51 percent) (Figure 20).
Globally, and in all country income groups dietary energy availability has increased since 2000, with high-income countries showing the smallest increase (not shown). Fruits and vegetables represent the second-most available food group (in percentage of weight), whereas their contribution to total dietary energy availability is small (6 percent globally), which is to be expected as they tend to be low in dietary energy. Conversely, sugars and fats are the second-highest group in terms of total dietary energy contribution, but they represent a relatively small fraction in terms of quantity available.
In low-income countries, cereals, roots, tubers and plantains represent nearly 60 percent of all food available (by weight) in 2017.
This percentage decreases gradually with country income groups, down to 22 percent in high-income countries. Likewise, the contribution from animal source foods (fish, meat, eggs and dairy), in percentage of weight, varies with the country income group. It is higher in high-income countries (29 percent) compared to upper-middle- and lower-middle-income countries (20 percent), and lowest in low-income countries (11 percent).
The SUA data that informs the above analyses reflect food availability for human consumption up to 2017. As such, this analysis does not factor in the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on food availability. Box 7 summarizes some of the potential ways in which the COVID-19 pandemic is likely to impact the availability of nutritious foods and, consequently, diet quality of the population.
These analyses of national level food availability provide indirect information on trends in diet quality over time and across regions and country income groups. But it is information derived from actual food consumption and nutrient intake data – when available – that allows detailed assessments of diet quality in different populations. Indicators of dietary diversity like those used in the following section, compiled from such data, are an increasingly valuable component of the evidence base.
Dietary diversity of young children and women A key element of diet quality is dietary
diversity, or the variety of foods from different food groups that make up the diet. Eating a larger variety of foods tends to increase the chances that a person will consume adequate amounts of different nutrients necessary for their overall health and well-being.
Several tools for measuring dietary diversity have been developed for specific populations, including the Minimum Dietary Diversity for Women (MDD-W) indicator (Box 8) and the Minimum Dietary Diversity (MDD) indicator for infants and young children.
The latter is used for the global assessment
below. The data that inform such indicators »
NOTES: The estimates presented here are adjusted for food losses that happen along part of the supply chain, from post-harvest up to (and including) retail, and are adjusted for inedible portions. The “other” group includes beverages (i.e. alcoholic, fruit juice, fruit juice concentrate, vegetable juice, vegetable juice concentrate and sweetened beverages), stimulants (tea, coffee and cocoa), spices and condiments, and sugar-preserved fruits. For more details about the food groupings, see Annex 2.
SOURCE: FAO.
Pulses, seeds and nuts Other Sugar and fats
Cereals, roots, tubers and plantains Fruits and vegetables
are generally collected using individual-level, non-quantitative food consumption modules, providing a much more direct assessment of what people are actually eating than the SUA data.
The first two years of life are marked by rapid physical growth and brain development.
Children 6–23 months of age are especially
vulnerable to growth faltering and nutrient deficiencies. To meet the energy and nutrient needs of infants and young children, a variety of foods and a minimum number of feedings a day are recommended.105,106 UNICEF and WHO recommend a set of three indicators (minimum dietary diversity, minimum meal frequency and minimum acceptable diet) to assess the diet quality of young children through household BOX 7