The United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) recently released the Asia-Pacific Regional Overview of Food Security and Nutrition 2023: Statistics and Trends. The report astoundingly reveals that 74.1% of Indians could not afford a healthy diet in 2021.
Key Highlights of the Report: A Global Perspective
Globally, the prevalence of undernourishment in the Asia and the Pacific region dropped to 8.4% in 2022—down from 8.8% in the previous year. This equates to roughly 12 million less undernourished people than in 2021. However, this number is still 55 million more than in 2019, before the Covid-19 pandemic struck. With a staggering 370.7 million undernourished people, the Asia and the Pacific region accounts for half of the world’s undernourished population.
Undernourishment in Southern Asia
Southern Asia, notably, constitutes almost 314 million of the region’s undernourished population. This represents 85% of the region’s undernourished people, marking Southern Asia as the subregion with the most severely food insecure individuals. Across all subregions, apart from Eastern Asia, women are more likely to be food insecure than men.
The Indian Scenario: Affordability of a Healthy Diet
In an alarming statistic, 74.1% of Indians were unable to afford a healthy diet in 2021, a slight improvement from 76.2% in 2020. Comparatively, neighboring countries Pakistan and Bangladesh reported 82.2% and 66.1% of their populations facing difficulties accessing healthy food respectively.
Nutrition and Food Security in India
Approximately 16.6% of India’s population is undernourished. However, India has a lower prevalence of moderate or severe and severe Food Insecurity compared to the world since 2015.
Children’s Health in India
Malnutrition is a primary concern in India with stunting affecting 31.7% and wasting at 18.7% in children under five. The World Health Organization’s global nutrition target for childhood wasting is less than 5%. Stunted growth is typically a result of poor maternal health, inadequate infant feeding practices, and recurring infections amongst other factors.
Women’s Health: The Prevalence of Anaemia
In 2019, more than half (53%) of Indian women aged 15 to 49 suffer from anemia, marking the highest prevalence rate in the country. Anaemia not only impairs a woman’s health and wellbeing but also heightens the risk of adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes.
Obesity and Nutrition Indicators in India
Over the years, there has been an increase of obesity in India—rising from 1.6% in 2000 to 3.9% in 2016.
Exclusive Breastfeeding and Low Birthweight Prevalence
On the positive side, exclusive breastfeeding among infants aged 0–5 months has improved in India with a percentage of 63.7%, higher than the world average of 47.7%. However, India has the highest prevalence of low birthweight in the region at 27.4%, followed by Bangladesh and Nepal.
About the Food and Agriculture Organization
The FAO is a specialised UN agency that aims to eliminate hunger worldwide. Its headquarter is based in Rome, Italy, and operates alongside sister bodies – the World Food Programme and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). The FAO’s remit includes implementing globally significant agricultural heritage systems, monitoring desert locust situations worldwide, and managing the Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme.
Last Modified: February 22, 2024