Patterns of Global Food Consumption Expected to Shift in Next Quarter Century as Population, Incomes Rise

During the 30-year period spanning from 1990 to 2019, world population grew by 45 percent, and food produced by the global agriculture system increased by 61 percent, as measured by calories available for food consumption. The calories available from some food groups—especially fruits and vegetables, vegetable oils, and animal products—increased faster than population growth in those 30 years. Calories available from grains increased at about the same rate as world population.