Undernourishment in Latin America and the Caribbean declined for the fourth consecutive year, according to the 2025 Regional Overview of Food Security and Nutrition: Statistics and Trends. In 2024, hunger affected 5.1% of the population, down from a peak of 6.1% in 2020. This improvement means that around 6.2 million fewer people in the region are experiencing hunger compared to recent years.
The report highlights that several countries have made notable progress in reducing hunger levels. Brazil, Costa Rica, Guyana and Uruguay have already reached a hunger prevalence below 2.5%, while Chile and Mexico are close to that benchmark. In addition, Argentina, Barbados, Colombia, Dominica and the Dominican Republic have reduced hunger levels to below 5%, reflecting broader improvements in food security across parts of the region.
Subregional trends show varying levels of progress. South America recorded the most significant improvement, with hunger prevalence dropping to 3.8% and declining by nearly one percentage point between 2022 and 2024. In contrast, Mesoamerica remained relatively stable at around 5%, while the Caribbean continued to face higher levels at 17.5%. The regional average is heavily influenced by the severe situation in Haiti, where more than half of the population experienced undernourishment during the 2022–2024 period.
Food insecurity, while declining, still affects a large portion of the population. In 2024, about 25.2% of people in the region experienced moderate or severe food insecurity, which is lower than the global estimate of 28% and significantly reduced from the peak of 33.7% in 2020. However, disparities remain, with women facing food insecurity at rates more than five percentage points higher than men.
Despite these improvements, the region continues to face major nutrition challenges. Over 33 million people still suffer from hunger, 167 million experience food insecurity, and nearly 182 million cannot afford a healthy diet. At the same time, 141 million adults are living with obesity, illustrating the complex nature of malnutrition in the region.
Food prices and economic pressures continue to affect access to healthy diets. The lingering impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, supply chain disruptions and geopolitical tensions have driven food price inflation. In 2024, the cost of a healthy diet in Latin America and the Caribbean rose by 3.8%, reaching an estimated purchasing-power-adjusted cost of about USD 5.16 per day, making it the most expensive region globally for maintaining a healthy diet.
Although food costs remain high, some progress has been made in affordability. Compared to 2021, when nearly 197.3 million people could not afford a healthy diet, about 15.4 million more individuals were able to access healthier food options in 2024. Nevertheless, around 27.4% of the population—approximately 181.9 million people—still cannot afford a nutritious diet.
Nutrition indicators across the region reveal mixed outcomes. Anaemia affected about 19.9% of women aged 15 to 49 in 2023. While this level remains lower than the global average, the rate has steadily increased since 2014, highlighting persistent nutritional deficiencies among women.
Obesity continues to rise rapidly in the region. Adult obesity rates have doubled since 2000, reaching 29.9% in 2022—nearly twice the global average. Health experts attribute this trend partly to unhealthy food environments where highly processed foods are widely available while healthier options remain less accessible.
Child nutrition indicators show both progress and emerging concerns. The prevalence of stunting among children under five stood at 12.4%, consistently below global averages, and many countries are on track to meet the 2030 stunting reduction targets. Wasting among children was estimated at just 1.3% in 2024, with most countries already achieving the global targets for reducing child wasting.
However, childhood overweight is increasing across the region. The prevalence among children under five reached 8.8% in 2024 and has steadily risen since 2000. As a result, the region is not on track to meet the global target of reducing childhood overweight to below 3% by 2030.
The report emphasizes that addressing hunger and malnutrition in all its forms requires stronger and more coordinated action. Experts stress the need for integrated policies that strengthen health systems, nutrition programs, education and social protection, while supporting rural development and sustainable food systems to ensure that everyone—especially vulnerable populations—can access affordable and nutritious diets.
