According to the Global Hunger Index 2024, which was adopted by the International Food Policy Research Institute, Somalia was the most affected by hunger and malnutrition, with an index of 44.1. Yemen and Chad followed behind. The World Hunger Index combines three indicators: undernourishment, child underweight, and child mortality. Sub-Saharan Africa most affected The index is dominated by countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. In the region, more than one fifth of the population is undernourished . In terms of individuals, however, South Asia has the highest number of undernourished people. Globally, there are 735 million people that are considered undernourished or starving. A lack of food is increasing in over 20 countries worldwide. Undernourishment worldwide The term malnutrition includes both undernutrition and overnutrition. Undernutrition occurs when an individual cannot maintain normal bodily functions such as growth, recovering from disease, and both learning and physical work. Some conditions such as diarrhea, malaria, and HIV/AIDS can all have a negative impact on undernutrition. Rural and agricultural communities can be especially susceptible to hunger during certain seasons. The annual hunger gap occurs when a family’s food supply may run out before the next season’s harvest is available and can result in malnutrition. Nevertheless, the prevalence of people worldwide that are undernourished has decreased over the last decades, from 18.7 percent in 1990-92 to 9.2 percent in 2022, but it has slightly increased since the outbreak of COVID-19. According to the Global Hunger Index, the reduction of global hunger has stagnated over the past decade.

The Global Hunger Index (GHI) is a tool designed to comprehensively measure and track hunger globally and by region and country. Calculated each year by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), the GHI highlights successes and failures in hunger reduction and provide insights into the drivers of hunger, and food and nutrition security. The 2014 GHI has been calculated for 120 countries for which data on the three component indicators are available and for which measuring hung er is considered most relevant. The GHI calculation excludes some higher income countries because the prevalence of hunger there is very low. The GHI is only as current as the data for its three component indicators. This year's GHI reflects the most recent available country level data for the three component indicators spanning the period 2009 to 2013. Besides the most recent GHI scores, this dataset also contains the GHI scores for four other reference periods- 1990, 1995, 2000, and 2005. A country's GHI score is calculated by averaging the percentage of the population that is undernourished, the percentage of children youn ger than five years old who are underweight, and the percentage of children dying before the age of five. This calculation results in a 100 point scale on which zero is the best score (no hunger) and 100 the worst, although neither of these extremes is reached in practice. The three component indicators used to calculate the GHI scores draw upon data from the following sources: 1. Undernourishment: Updated data from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) were used for the 1990, 1995, 2000, 2005, and 2014GHI scores. Undernourishment data for the 2014 GHI are for 2011-2013. 2. Child underweight: The "child underweight" component indicator of the GHI scores includes the latest additions to the World Health Organization's (WHO) Global Database on Child Growth and Malnutrition, and additional data from the joint data base by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), WHO and the World Bank; the most recent Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) and Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey reports; and statistical tables from UNICEF. For the 2014 GHI, data on child underweight are for the latest year for which data are available in the period 2009-2014. 3. Child mortality: Updated data from the UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation were used for the 1990, 1995, 2000, and 2005, and 2014 GHI scores. For the 2014 GHI, data on child mortality are for 2012. Resources related to 2014 Global Hunger Index

According to the Global Hunger Index 2024, hunger worldwide decreased since 2000, but the pace of the reduction has slowed since 2016. In the Middle East and North Africa, for instance, the hunger index value was the same in 2024 as in 2016, and it had even increased marginally in Latin America and the Caribbean. In 2024, Somalia had the highest index score worldwide, meaning it was the country where hunger was most prevalent. The World Hunger Index combines four indicators: undernourishment, child stunting, child wasting, and child mortality.

Recent years have seen an increase in the amount of people suffering from undernourishment around the world. This is a reversal of the trend which had seen declining numbers till 2014. In 2023, almost 734 million people were undernourished around the world. Undernourishment is defined as the status of persons, whose food intake regularly provides less than their minimum energy requirements.

Historical chart and dataset showing Brazil hunger statistics by year from 2001 to 2022.

Historical chart and dataset showing Italy hunger statistics by year from 2001 to 2022.

Historical chart and dataset showing Norway hunger statistics by year from 2001 to 2022.

In 2024, Somalia had the highest ranking Global Hunger Index (GHI) within Eastern African at 44.1, indicating an alarming hunger situation. The country has experienced heavy rainfall and flooding after an extended period of drought, which has led to food insecurity as a result. Mauritius scored the lowest GHI in the region, with a score of 12.8, representing a moderate foo insecurity.

According to the Global Hunger Index, India had an index value of **** in 2023. The composition of the index was a combination of different indicators such as undernourishment, child underweight, and child mortality. India's score indicates a serious level of hunger crisis, placing the country at a position of ***** out of 121 countries that year. However, the country had improved the situation from ** index points falling in the category of alarming level in 2000.

Historical chart and dataset showing Thailand hunger statistics by year from 2001 to 2022.

In 2024, Zambia had the highest ranking Global Hunger Index (GHI) within Southern African at 30.7, indicating a serious hunger situation. The country has experienced its worst drought in decades, which has led to food and water being scarce. South Africa scored the lowest GHI in the region, with a score of 12.5, representing a moderate food insecurity.

The Child food insecurity rate in the United States was 16.1% in 2020. Explore a map of child hunger statistics in the United States at the state and local level.

The Global Hunger Index ranks countries on a 100 point scale, with 0 being the best score ("no hunger") and 100 being the worst, though neither of these extremes is achieved in practice. The higher the score, the worse the food situation of a country. The GHI combines three equally weighted indicators: 1) the proportion of the undernourished as a percentage of the population; 2) the prevalence of underweight children under the age of five; 3) the mortality rate of children under the age of five.

Historical chart and dataset showing China hunger statistics by year from 2001 to 2022.

As of February 15, 2024, about ** percent of the population of Afghanistan experienced and suffered from insufficient food consumption. It is only superseded by Somalia, where a share of ** percent of the population suffers from insufficient food intake. The ** countries shown here accounted for about ** percent of the total number of people with insufficient food consumption. Not all countries are included in the monitoring of the source. Insufficient food consumption covers individuals who eat staples and vegetables daily, and also consume vegetable oil and pulses a few times a week, and everyone who eats less than that.Compared to September 19, 2022, the share of people in the top 12 has grown by ***** percent.

In 2023, the rate of undernourishment worldwide was 9.1 percent. The region with the largest share of undernourished people was Sub-Saharan Africa, with 23.2 percent. Undernourished people worldwideSouthern Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa have some of the highest numbers of undernourished people in the world, totaling 281 million and 278 million, respectively in 2023. Based on the World Hunger Index 2024, Somalia and Yemen were among the most affected countries by hunger and malnutrition. Worldwide, about 733.4 million people were suffering from malnutrition in 2023. MalnutritionMalnourishment occurs when a person’s diet consists of too little or too much of certain nutrients. Undernutrition occurs when a person does not intake enough calories, protein, or micronutrients. One of the primary causes of malnutrition is due to limited or lack of accessibility to affordable nutritious foods. Malnutrition is considered to contribute to over a third of child deaths globally. In Asia, an estimated 77 million cases of stunting, which is the primary effect of malnutrition, were recorded for children under the age of five in 2022. The FAO reports that food security and nutrition commitments by national governments are essential in eradicating the world hunger problem. Agricultural productivity, accessibility to land, services, and markets, rural development strategies, and social protection are needed to ensure a reduction in malnutrition.

Financial overview and grant giving statistics of World Hunger Fund

Millions of people are at risk of starvation worldwide, many of these in countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. Across all five severity stages, Nigeria had the highest number of people at risk of starvation in 2025, with over 200 million. Almost 175 million of these fell within the two least severe stages.

Historical chart and dataset showing Sierra Leone hunger statistics by year from 2001 to 2022.

In 2023, an estimated 10.7 percent of the global population faced severe food insecurity, up from 7.7 percent in 2014. Nearly every region in the world saw an increase in hunger, but Africa remains the hardest hit. More than 21 percent of its population is affected by severe food insecurity, making it the most impacted region globally. Between 2018 and 2022, the prevalence of severe food insecurity in Africa rose by nearly five percentage points, underscoring the urgency of addressing the crisis.