Read about hunger facts in Asia and the Pacific. Download the detailed fact sheet or learn about the causes and impacts and child malnutrition below.
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Regional Spotlight: Hunger and Malnutrition in Asia and the Pacific

Half of the world’s chronically undernourished people live in Asia and the Pacific—a vast region that spans from China in the East to India in the South and then stretches out into the Pacific Ocean and its island nations.

In 2022, an estimated 370.7 million people throughout Asia and the Pacific were not getting enough of the right nutrients from their food to live a healthy life. Hunger, measured by the prevalence of undernutrition, varies greatly across the region, with most people concentrated in the subregions of South Asia and Oceania.

Regional challenges to food security

Like the rest of the world, Asia and the Pacific have grappled with the impacts of COVID and the war in Ukraine—global events that hindered food and fuel supply chains. Income loss and higher food prices have put a healthy diet out of reach for millions in the region. But even before the recent crises, climate change and gender inequality were already challenges to food security—a household’s ability to afford and access enough nutritious food for all their members.

In this paper, we will take a closer look at regional diversity in four subregions—Eastern Asia, Oceania, South-East Asia, and Southern Asia—that share common characteristics*, explore obstacles to nutrition and food security, and touch on the solutions.

Unequal regional distribution of hunger and malnutrition

Most of the undernourished population (85 percent) live in the subregions of Southern Asia and Oceania. The uneven distribution is shaped by several factors, including government stability and the level of economic development. 

Even when zooming in on one of the four subregions profound disparities exist. For instance, in Oceania, over half of Papua New Guinea children under the age of five (51.2 percent) have stunted growth due to malnutrition. Whereas Tonga, a group of islands to the east, has a significantly lower stunting rate of 1.8 percent.

Higher food prices hinder progress

In the last two decades, Asia and the Pacific saw steady progress in reducing hunger. The percentage of people experiencing undernutrition decreased by 8.2 percent between 2000 and 2018. Global events sparked a reversal between 2019 and 2021, with more people unable to access or afford healthy food. However, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) most recent data shows that the region is again tracking toward progress.

In 2022, the number of undernourished people decreased by 12 million, compared to 2021, according to FAO. Despite this regional improvement, there are still 55 million more undernourished people than before COVID in 2019.

Contributing to the persistence of high rates of food insecurity—a households ability to access and afford enough food—are rising food prices, with a 5.3 percent increase since 2021. Most affected are the 1.4 billion people, primarily in the Southern subregion—a region with many low-income countries lacking sufficient safety nets to counter the economic and food supply disruptions caused by the pandemic and global conflicts. 

To eradicate chronic hunger and malnutrition in all its forms—including stunted growth, wasting, obesity, and micronutrient deficiencies—everyone must be able to afford and access a diverse diet rich in vitamins and minerals that are needed for a healthy life.

Child stunting and anemia continue to plague the region

Long before COVID-19, maternal malnutrition was a severe issue in the region. Roughly 40 percent of women ages 15-49 are anemic, a micronutrient deficiency that causes low birth weight in children. Children who are underweight at birth will often experience stunted growth and the life-long physical and cognitive impairments that result.

Currently, the Asia Pacific region has a stunting prevalence of 23.4 percent, which represents a slight decline from the previous year. In contrast, the Oceanic subregion, with a significantly higher prevalence of 44 percent, experienced an increase in the number of stunted children compared to 2021.

Increasing decision-making power to improve women’s health

Lack of resources and decision-making power negatively impacts women’s nutrition and health. One factor that can cause low-birth-weight babies—an predictor of stunting—is mothers who are anemic. To reduce stunting, experts are focusing on improving the nutritional status of women through economic empowerment. 

Bangladesh, a densely populated country in South Asia with over 40 percent of women anemic, is a case in point. They have made rapid strides in reducing stunting among children under the age of five. In 2022, the prevalence of stunting in children under five was 26.4 percent, representing a drop of 24.6 percent since 2004.

USAID’s Feed the Future program puts women’s empowerment at the core of its work in Bangladesh and reports a 32 percent reduction of stunting in 5 project areas since 2011. 

Asma Khatun’s story of economic empowerment 

Asma Khatun and her daughter knew the pain of hunger until the Bangladesh Livestock Production for Improved Nutrition Activity funded by USAID and implemented by ACDI/VOCA changed that. 

Khatun was trained to be a livestock service provider through the program—a position that elevated her as a community leader and earned a decent living.  In a  2021 program report, she shares: “Now, I not only run my own house, but my daughter in the sixth grade goes to a private tutor.” 

Her story illustrates how elevating women’s socioeconomic status can effectively combat cycles of malnutrition. With an education, Khatun’s daughter can earn more in her lifetime, so is less likely to experience malnourishment.  As more women like Khatun gain decision-making power, hunger and malnutrition are likely to decrease throughout the Asia Pacific region.

The threat of climate change

Gender inequality is not the only obstacle to improving nutrition throughout the region. Climate hazards such as floods, droughts, and cyclones are common in the region and are expected to become more severe. In 2023 alone, 146 climate-related events affected 47 million people, resulting in an estimated $41 billion in economic losses. 

Rising temperatures directly threaten agricultural productivity. 

According to a 2024 report from the Asia Development Bank, labor productivity in the region is expected to fall by 6.7 percentage points with a warming of 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit. This decline has dire implications for food availability and economic stability, since such a high proportion of the people in the region work in agriculture. 

Additionally, rising temperatures deplete soil nutrients and diminish the nutritional value of crops necessary for healthy lives. Growing times and crop yields are also seeing reductions, decreasing local food supply.

These are just a few of the climate-related changes already impacting Asia and the Pacific. Without intervention, the problem will grow worse. Unmitigated climate change will mean poorer households, who are  less able to absorb economic shocks, will have less money to spend on food. 

Conclusion 

Although Asia and the Pacific face significant food security challenges, they are not insurmountable. Progress can be restored and even accelerated by increasing nutrition interventions, empowering women economically, improving food access and affordability, and adopting adaptive climate policies. Integrating these strategies effectively will not only bolster food security but also strengthen resilience, paving the way for a sustainable and thriving future in the region.

*Western and Central Asia are excluded from this report, which uses the same regional grouping as the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations.

Download the detailed fact sheet or learn about the causes and impacts and child malnutrition below.  Then test your knowledge and take the Asia and the Pacific hunger quiz!