LAC Reduce Hunger for 4th Consecutive Year: Inequality and Obesity Remain Major Challenges

South America registered the most significant improvement, reducing average hunger prevalence to 3.8%, with nearly a one percentage point decline between 2022 and 2024.

 

Latin America and the Caribbean have recorded a fourth consecutive year of declining hunger, according to the 2025 Regional Overview of Food Security and Nutrition: Statistics and Trends, released today by FAO, IFAD, PAHO/WHO, WFP and UNICEF. While the region has made measurable progress in reducing undernourishment and food insecurity, deep structural inequalities, rising obesity rates, and persistent affordability gaps continue to threaten long-term food and nutrition security.

Hunger Declines to 5.1% of the Population

The report shows that undernourishment affected 5.1% of the population in 2024, down from a peak of 6.1% in 2020 during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and associated economic disruptions. This improvement translates into 6.2 million fewer people experiencing hunger across the region.

Nevertheless, more than 33 million people still face hunger.

Progress has been uneven across countries and subregions. Four countries — Brazil, Costa Rica, Guyana and Uruguay — have achieved a hunger prevalence below 2.5%, placing them among the best performers regionally. Chile and Mexico are approaching this benchmark. Additionally, Argentina, Barbados, Colombia, Dominica and the Dominican Republic have reduced hunger prevalence to below 5%.

Subregional Disparities Persist

South America registered the most significant improvement, reducing average hunger prevalence to 3.8%, with nearly a one percentage point decline between 2022 and 2024.

In contrast, Mesoamerica remained stable at 5%, while the Caribbean continues to face severe challenges, with hunger prevalence at 17.5%. The Caribbean figure is heavily influenced by Haiti, where undernourishment reached 54.2% during the 2022–2024 period — one of the highest levels globally.

These figures underscore that while regional averages are improving, country-specific crises continue to distort broader progress.

Food Insecurity Falling — But Gender Gap Remains Wide

Moderate or severe food insecurity affected 25.2% of the population in 2024, lower than the global average of 28% and significantly below the regional peak of 33.7% recorded in 2020. This marks a steady post-pandemic recovery.

However, inequality remains entrenched. Women experience food insecurity at rates 5.3 percentage points higher than men, highlighting persistent gender disparities in income, employment stability and access to resources.

According to FAO Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative Rene Orellana Halkyer, although hunger and food insecurity have declined, “significant inequalities in access to and affordability of food and healthy diets persist,” alongside rising overweight and obesity levels that require comprehensive, intersectoral responses.

Cost of a Healthy Diet: Highest in the World

Latin America and the Caribbean recorded the highest global cost of a healthy diet in 2024, estimated at USD 5.16 per day (adjusted for purchasing power). The cost increased by 3.8% during the year, reflecting continued impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic, supply chain disruptions, and geopolitical conflicts that have fueled food price inflation.

Despite these pressures, affordability indicators show some improvement. Compared to the 2021 peak — when 197.3 million people could not afford a healthy diet — 15.4 million additional people were able to access healthy diets in 2024.

Still, 181.9 million people — 27.4% of the population — remain unable to afford a healthy diet.

Rocío Medina Bolívar, IFAD Regional Director, emphasized that rural communities and women remain disproportionately affected. She stressed the importance of investing in rural development and supporting food producers to build resilience and strengthen long-term food security.

Similarly, WFP Regional Director Lena Savelli described the findings as a “wake-up call,” noting that deep inequalities between subregions and demographic groups continue to leave millions behind.

The Double Burden of Malnutrition

While hunger declines, the region faces a growing nutrition paradox: the coexistence of undernutrition and rising overweight and obesity.

Anaemia Rising Among Women

Anaemia affected 19.9% of women aged 15–49 in 2023. Although this remains below the global estimate of 30.7%, rates have steadily increased in the region since 2014 — an alarming trend given its long-term health consequences for women and children.

Adult Obesity Doubled Since 2000

Adult obesity has doubled since 2000, reaching 29.9% in 2022 — nearly twice the global average of 15.8%. The Americas now face one of the most severe obesity burdens worldwide.

Dr. Jarbas Barbosa, Director of PAHO, attributed this trend to unhealthy food environments characterized by widespread availability of ultra-processed foods and limited access to nutritious alternatives. PAHO is promoting fiscal measures, marketing regulations, and front-of-package warning labels to encourage healthier consumption patterns.

Children: Mixed Progress

Among children under five:

• Stunting prevalence stands at 12.4%, consistently below global averages over the past 25 years.

• One-third of countries with available data are on track to meet the 2030 stunting reduction target.

• Wasting is estimated at 1.3% in 2024, with most countries having already achieved the World Health Assembly 2025 target.

However, overweight among children under five has steadily increased since 2000, reaching 8.8% in 2024 — above the global estimate and far from the 2030 target of reducing prevalence below 3%.

UNICEF Regional Director Roberto Benes noted that while sustained investments have reduced stunting, the region now faces a “complex nutrition challenge” requiring integrated action across health, education, nutrition, and social protection systems.

Beyond Recovery: The Road Ahead

The 2025 Regional Overview makes clear that Latin America and the Caribbean are moving in the right direction on hunger reduction. However, progress remains fragile and uneven.

Key challenges include:

• Persistent subregional disparities, particularly in the Caribbean.

• Structural gender inequalities in food security.

• High and rising obesity rates.

• Escalating costs of healthy diets.

• Growing micronutrient deficiencies, especially anaemia.

• The double burden of malnutrition across all age groups.

The joint UN agencies stress that achieving the Sustainable Development Goals — particularly Zero Hunger — will require coordinated policy interventions, resilient food systems, stronger rural economies, improved social protection, and regulatory action to reshape unhealthy food environments.

The region’s experience demonstrates that recovery is possible. But ensuring that progress reaches the most vulnerable — women, rural communities, and children — will determine whether Latin America and the Caribbean can transform temporary recovery into sustainable food and nutrition security.