Published on: 2026-06-30
Source: United Nations – United Nations –
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June 30, 2026 Sustainable Development Goals
Inequality in the food sector, the rise in food prices, the spread of obesity among adults and overweight among 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 undernourishment in the region has remained below 2.5 percent since 2006, which is significantly lower than the global average of 8.2 percent as of 2024. Central Asia is the only subregion where the prevalence of undernourishment still exceeds this threshold, standing at 2.8 percent in both 2023 and 2024.
“The countries of Europe and Central Asia have made significant progress in strengthening food security; however, issues of nutrition and dietary intake have not yet been fully resolved,” noted Viorel Gutu, Deputy Director-General and Regional Representative of FAO. “Increased costs, uneven access to nutritious foods, and persistent disparities between subregions require coordinated efforts in our pursuit to build a world without hunger.”
Healthy eating
In 2024, 59.6 million people in the region could not afford a healthy diet, which is 3.1 million fewer than in 2023. The report notes significant differences between subregions. The poorest situation is in the Caucasus countries, where 15 percent of the population cannot afford a healthy diet. Central Asia ranks second with 14 percent.
Indicators of malnutrition
Indicators in the field of child nutrition show an ambiguous picture. The prevalence of stunting among children under five years old remained low, at 4.6 percent in 2024, which is significantly lower than the global average of 23.2 percent. In those subregions where data were available, wasting rates were also considerably below global averages.
Obesity and overweight
At the same time, the prevalence of excess body weight among children under five years old was 7.5 percent in 2024, exceeding the global average of 5.5 percent.
The report also highlights the increasing scale of the obesity problem among adults. The prevalence of adult obesity in Europe and Central Asia rose from 16.7 percent in 2000 to 22.6 percent in 2022, significantly exceeding the global average of 15.8 percent. In almost every country for which data is available, the adult obesity rate in 2022 was higher than it was ten years ago.
Anemia
Anemia among women aged 15 to 49 also requires continuous 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 this figure slightly exceeded the global average.
FAO Recommendations
FAO emphasizes that achieving the second Sustainable Development Goal by 2030 requires continuous and coordinated transformation of agri-food systems. This includes improving access to healthy and affordable diets, increasing resilience to shocks, and ensuring that policy measures take into account the interests of vulnerable groups, including smallholder farmers, women, and youth.
The FAO report is intended to support governments and partners across all sectors, including civil society and the private sector, in accelerating progress toward creating a hunger-free region.
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