America, Mar 3: Latin America and the Caribbean are showing that recovery from crisis is possible. For the fourth year in a row, hunger across the region has declined — a steady improvement after the sharp setbacks triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet behind the encouraging regional averages lies a more complicated story: deep inequality, soaring obesity rates, and the world’s highest cost of a healthy diet continue to threaten long-term progress.Hunger Drops, but Millions Still StruggleIn 2024, about 5.1% of the region’s population experienced undernourishment, down from the pandemic peak of 6.1% in 2020. That shift means roughly 6 million fewer people are going hungry compared to the height of the crisis.
Even so, more than 33 million people still do not have enough to eat.Several countries have made remarkable gains. Brazil, Costa Rica, Guyana and Uruguay now report hunger levels below 2.5%, placing them among the region’s strongest performers. Others — including Chile and Mexico — are close to reaching that threshold. Argentina, Barbados, Colombia, Dominica and the Dominican Republic have also reduced hunger to below 5%.But averages can obscure reality.A Region DividedSouth America recorded the most notable progress, reducing hunger prevalence to 3.8% — nearly a full percentage point drop in just two years.
Mesoamerica has remained largely unchanged at about 5%. The Caribbean, however, continues to face severe hardship. Hunger there stands at 17.5%, a figure heavily influenced by the crisis in Haiti, where more than half the population has experienced undernourishment in recent years — one of the highest rates worldwide.The contrast highlights a persistent challenge: regional recovery is uneven, and country-specific crises continue to shape the broader picture.Food Insecurity Eases, but Women Bear the BruntBeyond hunger, broader food insecurity — meaning limited or uncertain access to adequate food — has also declined. In 2024, about a quarter of the population faced moderate or severe food insecurity, down significantly from 2020 levels.Yet inequality remains deeply entrenched. Women are 5 percentage points more likely than men to experience food insecurity. Lower incomes, unstable employment, and unequal access to resources continue to widen the gap.
Rural communities are particularly vulnerable, as small-scale farmers grapple with climate shocks, rising input costs and market volatility.The World’s Most Expensive Healthy DietOne of the region’s starkest realities is the cost of eating well. In 2024, the average price of a healthy diet in Latin America and the Caribbean reached $5.16 per person per day — the highest in the world.Although about 15 million more people can now afford a nutritious diet compared to the 2021 peak, nearly 182 million people — more than a quarter of the population — still cannot.For families living paycheck to paycheck, the choice between affordability and nutrition often leads to cheaper, calorie-dense foods that lack essential nutrients.
The Double Burden: Hunger and ObesityAs hunger declines, another crisis grows.Adult obesity in the region has doubled since 2000, reaching nearly 30% — almost twice the global average. Ultra-processed foods have become widespread, often cheaper and more accessible than fresh, nutritious options.
Among women aged 15 to 49, anaemia affects nearly one in five — a worrying upward trend over the past decade. Micronutrient deficiencies like this can have lasting effects on maternal and child health.Children reflect this paradox. Stunting — a sign of chronic undernutrition — has remained below global averages, and wasting levels are relatively low. But overweight among children under five has climbed steadily, now nearing 9%, far above global targets.The coexistence of undernutrition and obesity — sometimes within the same communities, households, or even individuals — presents policymakers with a complex challenge.Fragile Gains, Critical Choices AheadThe region’s progress demonstrates resilience. Social protection programs, economic recovery efforts and targeted nutrition policies have helped push hunger down year after year.But experts warn that recovery alone is not transformation.
Persistent gender gaps, stark disparities between subregions, rising obesity and the high cost of nutritious food all signal structural weaknesses. Without coordinated action — from strengthening rural economies and food systems to regulating unhealthy food environments — today’s gains could stall.For millions of families across Latin America and the Caribbean, food security is not just about calories, but about dignity, opportunity and health.The region has shown that improvement is possible. The next challenge is ensuring that progress reaches everyone — especially women, rural communities and children — so that temporary recovery becomes lasting food and nutrition security.
