Healthy diet too expensive for one in three people globally, UN report finds

In Africa, 66.6% of the population was unable to afford a healthy diet in 2025, more than double the levels in Asia or Latin America and the Caribbean. Photograph: Jasmin Merdan/Alamy

One in three people cannot afford to eat a healthy diet, a new report has found, prompting calls for urgent action on food affordability.

There are 2.69 billion people unable to afford a diverse diet that meets their energy and nutrient needs, and it will take “immense” amounts of work to achieve the global target of zero hunger by 2030, the annual report from five UN agencies warned.