Dietary composition by country in China

China: Dietary composition by country was 1.26 kilocalories per day per capita in 2023. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2023)
1.26 kilocalories per day per capita
Change on year
down 15.4%
World rank
157th
of 191 countries
All-time high
1.94 kilocalories per day per capita
in 2020
All-time low
0 kilocalories per day per capita
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023

Dietary composition by country in China, 1961–2023

00.511.52196119922023

Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in kilocalories per day per capita.

Analysis

In 2023, dietary composition by country in China stood at 1.26 kilocalories per day per capita.

That represents a change of down 15.4% on the previous year and up 113.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, dietary composition by country in China peaked at 1.94 kilocalories per day per capita in 2020 and was at its lowest, 0 kilocalories per day per capita, in 1961.

China ranks 157th of 191 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1960s 0 kilocalories per day per capita 0 kilocalories per day per capita 0 kilocalories per day per capita 9
1970s 0 kilocalories per day per capita 0 kilocalories per day per capita 0 kilocalories per day per capita 10
1980s 0 kilocalories per day per capita 0 kilocalories per day per capita 0 kilocalories per day per capita 10
1990s 0 kilocalories per day per capita 0 kilocalories per day per capita 0 kilocalories per day per capita 10
2000s 0 kilocalories per day per capita 0 kilocalories per day per capita 0 kilocalories per day per capita 10
2010s 1.07 kilocalories per day per capita 0.5 kilocalories per day per capita 1.93 kilocalories per day per capita 10
2020s 1.46 kilocalories per day per capita 1.14 kilocalories per day per capita 1.94 kilocalories per day per capita 4

Countries ranked near China

  1. 154 Madagascar 1.38 kilocalories per day per capita compare
  2. 155 Morocco 1.34 kilocalories per day per capita compare
  3. 156 Chad 1.33 kilocalories per day per capita compare
  4. 158 Vietnam 1.24 kilocalories per day per capita compare
  5. 159 Democratic Republic of Congo 1.23 kilocalories per day per capita compare
  6. 160 Tunisia 1.12 kilocalories per day per capita compare

See the full ranking of 191 places →

More reference data data for China

All data for China →

Frequently asked questions

What is dietary composition by country in China?
Dietary composition by country in China was 1.26 kilocalories per day per capita in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest dietary composition by country recorded in China?
The highest recorded value was 1.94 kilocalories per day per capita in 2020.
What is the lowest dietary composition by country recorded in China?
The lowest recorded value was 0 kilocalories per day per capita in 1961.
How does China rank for dietary composition by country?
China ranks 157th out of 191 countries with data for 2023.
Is dietary composition by country rising or falling in China?
Over the last ten years it is up 113.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this China data come from?
The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Dietary composition by country. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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About this data

Indicator
Dietary composition by country
Unit
kilocalories per day per capita
Source
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
191 places, 10,034 data points, 1961–2023
Last refreshed

Quantity that is available for consumption at the end of the supply chain. It does not account for consumer waste, so the quantity that is actually consumed may be lower.