Understanding How Common Is Hunger Globally

December 28, 2025 •

3 min read

In 2024, an estimated 673 million people experienced chronic hunger, equating to about 8.2% of the global population, despite the world producing enough food to feed everyone. Understanding how common is hunger requires looking beyond these sobering figures to the complex factors driving this humanitarian crisis.

Quick Summary

Chronic hunger affects hundreds of millions globally, driven by conflicts, climate extremes, and economic shocks that disproportionately impact vulnerable populations and children. Significant regional disparities persist despite some progress, leaving the world far off track from achieving zero hunger by 2030.

Key Points

Global Prevalence: Approximately one in eleven people worldwide, or 673 million individuals, experienced chronic hunger in 2024.
Widespread Food Insecurity: Beyond chronic hunger, about 2.3 billion people faced moderate or severe food insecurity in 2024, lacking consistent access to adequate, nutritious food.
Key Driving Factors: The primary causes of hunger include violent conflicts, climate change and extreme weather, and severe economic shocks like high inflation.
Devastating Impact on Children: Malnutrition, a consequence of hunger, accounts for nearly half of child deaths under five and causes irreversible stunting in millions of children.
Regional Disparities: Hunger disproportionately affects certain regions, particularly Africa and Western Asia, where rates are rising despite declines elsewhere.
Off-Track for 2030 Goal: The world is not on pace to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal of zero hunger by 2030, a target that requires significant, concerted global effort.

Global Hunger Statistics: A Sobering Reality

While progress has been made in combating global hunger over the decades, recent years have seen a significant setback, primarily driven by converging global crises. According to the UN's State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI) 2025 report, about 673 million people faced hunger in 2024. This number represents a concerning increase from pre-pandemic levels, illustrating that the global food system remains fragile and unequal. The issue extends beyond mere hunger to widespread food insecurity. In 2024, nearly 2.3 billion people—or 28% of the global population—experienced moderate or severe food insecurity, meaning they lacked consistent access to adequate nutrition. The regional distribution of hunger is highly uneven. Africa continues to bear the heaviest burden, with rising rates of hunger and food insecurity, while some areas of Asia and Latin America have seen slight improvements. In 2024, 42 countries had hunger levels ranked as 'Serious' or 'Alarming' on the Global Hunger Index, highlighting significant regional disparities.

Critical Facts about Global Hunger

Chronic Hunger: Affects approximately 1 in 11 people worldwide.
Food Insecurity: Nearly one-third of the global population faced moderate or severe food insecurity in 2024.
Child Malnutrition: Globally, 23.2% of children under five were stunted, and 6.6% were wasted in 2024.
Child Mortality: Malnutrition is responsible for almost half of all deaths among children under five.
Gender Gap: Women and girls are disproportionately affected, making up a significant portion of the world's hungry.

The Complex Web of Causes Driving World Hunger

Several interconnected factors prevent the world from eradicating hunger, even though it produces enough food for its population. These drivers often act in concert, creating a cycle of vulnerability and crisis.

Conflict and Instability

Conflict is consistently cited as the primary driver of acute food insecurity globally. Wars and civil unrest disrupt food production and supply chains, displace populations, and destroy agricultural infrastructure. People fleeing violence lose their access to food, health care, and livelihoods.

Climate Change and Environmental Shocks

Extreme weather events are increasing due to climate change, destroying crops and disrupting food systems. Communities in climate-vulnerable regions are hit repeatedly, entrenching chronic food shortages.

Economic Shocks and Poverty

Rising food prices and economic disruptions impact people's ability to afford nutritious food. Economic shocks have driven millions more into poverty and hunger, particularly those already living on low incomes.

The Devastating Effects of Hunger and Malnutrition

The consequences of prolonged hunger are severe. Malnutrition is particularly devastating for children, leading to wasting and stunting, which can cause permanent physical and cognitive damage. These health issues hinder learning and productivity, perpetuating a cycle of poverty and poor health. For adults, hunger reduces productivity, increases disease vulnerability, and contributes to mental health issues.

Chronic vs. Acute Food Insecurity

Understanding different classifications is key. The IPC framework categorizes severity from minimal to famine.


Feature	Chronic Hunger	Acute Food Insecurity / Famine
Duration	Long-term and persistent	Short-term, sudden, and life-threatening
Cause	Root causes like poverty, inequality, and inefficient systems	Shocks like conflict, climate extremes, and economic collapse
Effects	Stunting, susceptibility to illness, reduced productivity	Wasting, starvation, extreme mortality rates
Scale	Affects hundreds of millions globally	Affects concentrated populations in specific crisis zones
Monitoring	Tracked via Prevalence of Undernourishment metrics	Tracked via the IPC scale, including famine declaration criteria

Progress and the Road to Zero Hunger

Recent crises have reversed much of the previous progress against hunger. SDG 2, Zero Hunger, aims to end hunger by 2030, but the world is significantly off track. A multi-dimensional approach is needed, including investment in sustainable agriculture, social protection, and addressing root causes. Solutions range from policy changes to empowering smallholder farmers and reducing food waste. Efforts must focus on resilient food systems and supporting vulnerable populations. For more information, visit the FAO Hunger Map.

Conclusion: The Urgency of Coordinated Action

The question of how common is hunger reveals a persistent global challenge, with millions suffering. Despite enough food being produced, systemic issues like inequity, conflict, and climate change create barriers to access. Addressing this crisis demands urgent, coordinated action from governments, aid organizations, and individuals. By tackling root causes, investing in sustainable food systems, and prioritizing aid for affected regions, it is possible to get back on track toward zero hunger and ensure no one suffers from lack of food.

Frequently Asked Questions

Hunger is the physical sensation of distress from not eating enough food. Food insecurity, in contrast, is the condition of lacking consistent access to enough food for an active, healthy life. A person can be food insecure without always experiencing the physical sensation of hunger.

The core issue is not a lack of food production, but unequal access and inefficient distribution. Factors like poverty, conflict, economic instability, and poor infrastructure prevent food from reaching those who need it most, leading to a surplus in some areas and scarcity in others.

Africa has the highest prevalence of hunger relative to its population, and hunger rates have continued to rise in many African subregions and Western Asia. While Asia is home to the largest absolute number of hungry people, some parts of the continent have seen improvements.

Climate change drives extreme weather events like droughts, floods, and other natural disasters. These events destroy crops, kill livestock, and disrupt agricultural cycles, reducing food availability and increasing prices in affected regions.

For children, chronic malnutrition can lead to stunting (impaired growth) and wasting (low weight), causing permanent physical and cognitive damage. This can hinder their ability to learn and reach their full potential, perpetuating a cycle of poverty and poor health.

International organizations like the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP) provide emergency aid and implement development projects. They focus on strengthening food systems, investing in resilient agriculture, and addressing the root causes of hunger, in line with SDG 2: Zero Hunger.

No, the world is currently off track to achieve the UN's Sustainable Development Goal of Zero Hunger by 2030. Progress has stalled and even reversed in recent years due to conflict, economic shocks, and climate change, making the target increasingly challenging to meet.