In 2023, hunger and food insecurity rose across the Arab world, according to a recent United Nations report issued by various organizations, including UNICEF and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). The report, 2024 Near East and North Africa Regional Overview of Food Security and Nutrition, reveals that 66.1 million people, approximately 14 percent of the Arab region's population, suffered from hunger in 2023.
Even more concerning, 39.4 percent of the population, 186.5 million people, faced moderate or severe food insecurity, with 72.7 million enduring severe levels of insecurity. The findings underscore conflict as the leading cause of food insecurity, exacerbated by economic hardships, climate extremes, and soaring food prices. Undernourishment rates in conflict-hit areas reached 26.4 percent, significantly higher than the 6.6 percent in non-conflict zones. The report also shows that the region is lagging behind in achieving the food security and nutrition targets of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.
Economic barriers to accessing a healthy diet remain a pressing concern, with over 151.3 million people unable to afford nutritious food in 2022. Conflict-affected nations suffered the most, where 41.2 percent of the population struggled to afford healthy diets. Alarmingly, the Arab region continues to grapple with a triple burden of malnutrition, including obesity, wasting, and micronutrient deficiencies like anaemia among women.
Child malnutrition indicators highlight the seriousness of the crisis. Although stunting rates have decreased from 28 percent in 2000 to 19.9 percent in 2022, wasting rates among children remain above global averages, especially in low-income countries, where they reached 14.6 percent. At the same time, childhood obesity has nearly doubled the global average, affecting 9.5 percent of children under five. Libya, Tunisia, and Egypt report the highest rates of childhood obesity.
Adult obesity has also significantly increased, with 32.1 percent of adults classified as obese in 2022, more than double the global average. The highest rates of obesity were seen in upper-middle-income countries such as Egypt, Qatar, and Kuwait. Additionally, the prevalence of anemia among women aged 15 to 49 was recorded at 33.2 percent, with low-income countries experiencing the highest cases.
Despite modest progress in reducing stunting and addressing malnutrition, the Arab region faces significant hurdles in reversing the escalating hunger and nutrition crisis amid persistent conflicts and economic challenges.
