Photo UNICEF/B. Zanibekov Countries in Europe and Central Asia have made significant progress in strengthening food security. Europe and Central Asia: 60 million people cannot afford healthy food Sustainable Development Goals
Inequality in nutrition, rising food costs, the spread of obesity in adults and overweight in children – these and other problems were identified in the countries of Europe and Central Asia by the authors of a new report from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
The prevalence of undernutrition in the region has remained below 2.5 percent since 2006, well below the global rate of 8.2 percent as of 2024. Central Asia is the only subregion where the prevalence of undernutrition remains above this threshold, at 2.8 percent in both 2023 and 2024.
“Countries in Europe and Central Asia have made significant progress in strengthening food security; however, nutrition and diet problems have not yet been fully resolved,” said Viorel Gutu, Deputy Director-General and Regional Representative of FAO. “Increasing costs, uneven access to nutritious foods and persistent disparities between subregions require coordinated efforts in our quest to achieve a world without hunger.”In 2024, 59.6 million people in the region could not afford a healthy diet, a decrease of 3.1 million compared to 2023. The report notes significant differences between subregions. The least favorable situation is in the countries of the Caucasus, where 15 percent of the population does not have the opportunity to provide themselves with healthy nutrition. In second place is Central Asia (14 percent). The prevalence of stunting among children under five remained low at 4.6 percent in 2024, significantly lower than the global rate of 23.2 percent. In subregions where data were available, wasting rates were also well below global averages.
Obesity and overweight
The prevalence of overweight among children under five was 7.5 percent in 2024, exceeding the global rate in 5.5 percent.
The report also shows that the problem of obesity among adults is on the rise. The prevalence of obesity among adults in Europe and Central Asia has increased from 16.7 percent in 2000 to 22.6 percent in 2022, significantly higher than the global average of 15.8 percent. In almost all countries for which data are available, adult obesity rates were higher in 2022 than a decade ago.
Anemia
Anemia among women aged 15 to 49 years also requires continued attention. Its prevalence in the region increased from 17.6 percent in 2012 to 21.3 percent in 2023. The prevalence of anemia remains below the global average of 30.7 percent, but in Central Asia and the Caucasus the rate is slightly higher than the global average. continuous and coordinated transformation of agri-food systems. This includes improving access to healthy and affordable diets, building resilience to shocks, and ensuring that policies are sensitive to vulnerable populations, including smallholder farmers, women and youth.
FAO’s report aims to support governments and partners in all sectors, including civil society and the private sector, in accelerating progress towards a hunger-free region.