Why eating healthy remains a luxury for billions

India Today

2 days ago

Even as forms of extreme deprivation have abated somewhat, a deeper crisis is simmering: healthy, nutritious food remains far too expensive for much of the world's population.According to the United Nations' latest State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2025 report, an estimated 8.2 per cent of the global population—around 673 million people—faced hunger in 2024, down slightly from 8.5 per cent in 2023. Yet, affordability continues to be a major barrier to nutritious food.advertisementIn 2024, the average cost of a healthy diet rose to USD 4.46 per person per day (PPP), up from USD 4.30 in 2023. This increase, driven by inflation, climate change, and ongoing supply chain disruptions due to geopolitical disturbances, rendered 2.6 billion people unable to afford nutritious meals.
India reflects this global trend. The cost of a healthy diet in the country has surged by nearly 47 per cent, from USD 2.77 in 2017 to USD 4.07 in 2024. This steady rise underscores the growing pressure on household food budgets, even as income recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic remains uneven.Adding to the challenge is the continued rise in global food prices. The FAO Food Price Index climbed to 128 points in June 2025—28 per cent higher than the 2014–2016 average and 6 per cent higher than in June 2024. While prices have retreated from their peak following the Russia–Ukraine war, they remain elevated and volatile.The FAO's analysis highlights stark inequalities in food pricing. Starchy staples like rice and maize remain the cheapest sources of calories. In contrast, vegetables are nine times more expensive per calorie. Fruits and animal-source foods cost nearly six times more, while legumes, nuts, and seeds are about 1.8 times costlier.Surprisingly, ultra-processed foods and confectioneries—considered unhealthy—are much cheaper. These items provide similar energy at a fraction of the cost of staples. Even oils and sweets are more affordable than fresh produce, making them more accessible to low-income households. This pricing imbalance helps explain why unhealthy diets persist, particularly among economically vulnerable populations. This partly explains why junk food is being consumed more widely than ever.Beyond hunger, food insecurity—the struggle to consistently access enough nutritious food—is another major concern. In 2024, 2.3 billion people, or nearly 28 per cent of the global population, faced food insecurity. The situation is especially dire in rural areas and disproportionately affects women across all regions.STEADY PROGRESS IN INDIAadvertisementIndia has made significant progress in improving access to healthy diets. The number of people unable to afford a nutritious diet fell from 804.9 million in 2017 to 586.5 million in 2024—a decline of over 218 million. This progress stands in contrast to rising figures in many other lower-middle-income countries.Despite some improvements in pockets, the world is moving further away from its 2030 goal of ending hunger. Projections suggest that more than 500 million people will remain undernourished by the end of the decade.- EndsMust Watch