FAO Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean
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Why is eating healthy still a challenge in Latin America and the Caribbean?
Although hunger has decreased in recent years in the region, millions of people still cannot afford a healthy diet. Its high cost and inequalities between countries shape the daily eating habits of millions of households.
Santiago, Chile. Fresh products at the Lo Valledor wholesale market, a strategic hub for food distribution. ©FAO/Max Valencia
The most expensive healthy diet in the world
In recent years, Latin America and the Caribbean has seen significant progress. Hunger has decreased for the fourth consecutive year and, in 2024, affected 5.1 % of the regional population, an improvement compared to 6.1 % recorded during the pandemic in 2020. Part of this progress can be explained by economic recovery, rising employment, and the strengthening of social protection programs, which helped cushion the impact of recent crises.
However, this progress coexists with another reality. Latin America and the Caribbean produce food for the world, yet it is also the region where access to a healthy diet is most expensive. According to FAO and WHO, healthy diets are those that support health, growth, development, and well-being, promote active lifestyles, and prevent nutrient deficiencies and excesses, as well as communicable and non-communicable diseases.
They also identify four key principles of healthy diets: they should be adequate to each person’s needs, balanced in nutrients and quantities, moderate in consumption, and diverse, including a wide variety of nutritious foods.
Since 2017, the cost of a healthy diet in the region has increased by 44 %, driven by food inflation, economic crises, and disruptions in supply chains. Today, the cost stands at USD 5.16 per day in purchasing power parity terms, the highest level recorded globally.
According to the Regional Overview of Food Security and Nutrition 2025, in 2024 around 181.9 million people were unable to afford a healthy diet. In practical terms, this means that approximately 1 in 4 people in the region could not regularly afford healthy food.
This shapes the way many families eat. When budgets are tight, fresh foods are often replaced by cheaper options with lower nutritional value.
A variety of fresh and nutritious foods arranged on a plate, representing the different components of a healthy diet. ©FAO/Pablo Rodriguez
Not everyone is moving at the same pace
Although regional indicators show progress in reducing hunger, the situation remains very different across countries and subregions. While Brazil, Costa Rica, Guyana, and Uruguay report hunger levels below 2.5 %, in Haiti more than half of the population still experiences hunger due to insufficient food consumption.
In the Caribbean, the cost of a healthy diet reaches USD 5.48 per day in purchasing power parity terms, while at the same time half of the population lives with moderate or severe food insecurity.
These differences are not driven by income alone. Factors such as dependence on imports, food inflation, and limited access to fresh and nutritious foods also play a role. Ultimately, the issue is not just how much income a household has, but also the conditions that determine which foods are available and accessible.
These factors have a greater impact on lower-income households, rural populations, and women, who continue to face higher levels of food insecurity across the region.
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Workers unload and sort fruit at the Lo Valledor wholesale market, Chile’s main hub for fresh food distribution. ©FAO/Max Valencia
Papaya, pineapple, orange, passion fruit, mango, and strawberries—examples of fresh foods that contribute to a balanced diet. ©FAO/Pablo Rodriguez
A challenge that goes beyond hunger
Today, the region faces a double burden of malnutrition. While millions of people still cannot afford a healthy diet, overweight and obesity continue to rise. In 2022, adult obesity reached 29.9 % in Latin America and the Caribbean, nearly double the global average of 15.8 %, while childhood obesity stood at 8.8 % in 2024.
The consequences go far beyond diet. Malnutrition affects child development, increases the risk of non-communicable diseases, and deepens existing inequalities in the región.
In this context, FAO has emphasized the need to move toward more efficient, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable agrifood systems. This involves strengthening social protection programs, improving access to nutritious foods, and developing public policies that ensure a healthy diet does not depend on people’s income levels.
In a region that produces food for millions, both within and beyond its borders, the challenge is no longer only how much is produced, but also who can truly access a healthy diet.
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