Globally, calorie availability and the prominence of food in household spending are inversely related

Low-income countries allocate a greater portion of their per capita income to food. As countries become more affluent, more of their disposable income is allocated to other non-food categories. In countries with higher incomes (such as the United States and the United Kingdom), the share of household spending devoted to food purchased for preparing and eating at home is relatively low—less than 10 percent. In lower-income countries (such as Nigeria), at-home food spending can reach nearly 60 percent of household spending. Per capita calorie availability follows a reverse trend, with U.S. calorie availability averaging 3,902 calories per person per day in 2025, compared with Nigeria’s at 2,470 calories per person per day.