Annex : National indices of dietary fat supplies

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The following table provides information on national averages of the dietary energy and fat available for human consumption in 1988-90. The figures are based on FAO Food Balance Sheet data, and care needs to be taken to ensure that they are interpreted and used correctly. First, it should be stressed that they reflect overall averages of food and fat availability and do not represent actual dietary intakes. Second, it should be noted that the distribution and consumption of the food supplies, including dietary fat, available within a country is often highly skewed, usually along socio-economic lines and between urban and rural areas. This means, for example, that even in countries with low figures for total fat supply and low fat-energy ratios, many individuals and population groups will have normal or high fat intakes. Conversely, many people in countries with high indices of food and fat availability will not have access to an amount of food deemed adequate in this report.

COUNTRIES RANKED BY FAT ENERGY RATIO OF NATIONAL FOOD SUPPLY, 1988-90 (FAO Food Balance Sheets)

1. fat energy ratio - the proportion of dietary energy supply derived from fat
2. average grams of fat available per caput per day
3. proportion of total fat supply derived from animal sources
4. Dietary energy supply - average total kilocalories available per caput per day

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