Dietary composition by country in Zambia
Zambia: Dietary composition by country was 4.06 kilocalories per day per capita in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
4.06 kilocalories per day per capita
Change on year
down 53.7%
World rank
129th
of 191 countries
All-time high
8.76 kilocalories per day per capita
in 2022
All-time low
0 kilocalories per day per capita
in 1979
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Dietary composition by country in Zambia, 1961–2023
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 Zambia stood at 4.06 kilocalories per day per capita.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 53.7% on the previous year and up 90.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, dietary composition by country in Zambia peaked at 8.76 kilocalories per day per capita in 2022 and was at its lowest, 0 kilocalories per day per capita, in 1979.
Zambia ranks 129th of 191 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Dietary composition by country in Zambia, year by year
| Year | kilocalories per day per capita | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 0.9754 kilocalories per day per capita | — |
| 1962 | 0.9735 kilocalories per day per capita | -0.2% |
| 1963 | 0.972 kilocalories per day per capita | -0.1% |
| 1964 | 0.9709 kilocalories per day per capita | -0.1% |
| 1965 | 0.9699 kilocalories per day per capita | -0.1% |
| 1966 | 0.9685 kilocalories per day per capita | -0.1% |
| 1967 | 0.9674 kilocalories per day per capita | -0.1% |
| 1968 | 0.9664 kilocalories per day per capita | -0.1% |
| 1969 | 0.9666 kilocalories per day per capita | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 0.9698 kilocalories per day per capita | +0.3% |
| 1971 | 1.95 kilocalories per day per capita | +101.2% |
| 1972 | 0.9811 kilocalories per day per capita | -49.7% |
| 1973 | 0.9862 kilocalories per day per capita | +0.5% |
| 1974 | 1.98 kilocalories per day per capita | +101.0% |
| 1975 | 0.9948 kilocalories per day per capita | -49.8% |
| 1976 | 0.9977 kilocalories per day per capita | +0.3% |
| 1977 | 1 kilocalories per day per capita | +0.3% |
| 1978 | 1 kilocalories per day per capita | +0.2% |
| 1979 | 0 kilocalories per day per capita | -100.0% |
| 1980 | 0 kilocalories per day per capita | — |
| 1981 | 0 kilocalories per day per capita | — |
| 1982 | 1.01 kilocalories per day per capita | — |
| 1983 | 0 kilocalories per day per capita | -100.0% |
| 1984 | 0 kilocalories per day per capita | — |
| 1985 | 0 kilocalories per day per capita | — |
| 1986 | 0 kilocalories per day per capita | — |
| 1987 | 0 kilocalories per day per capita | — |
| 1988 | 0 kilocalories per day per capita | — |
| 1989 | 0 kilocalories per day per capita | — |
| 1990 | 0 kilocalories per day per capita | — |
| 1991 | 0 kilocalories per day per capita | — |
| 1992 | 0 kilocalories per day per capita | — |
| 1993 | 0 kilocalories per day per capita | — |
| 1994 | 0 kilocalories per day per capita | — |
| 1995 | 0 kilocalories per day per capita | — |
| 1996 | 0 kilocalories per day per capita | — |
| 1997 | 0 kilocalories per day per capita | — |
| 1998 | 0 kilocalories per day per capita | — |
| 1999 | 0 kilocalories per day per capita | — |
| 2000 | 1.01 kilocalories per day per capita | — |
| 2001 | 1 kilocalories per day per capita | -0.5% |
| 2002 | 0 kilocalories per day per capita | -100.0% |
| 2003 | 0 kilocalories per day per capita | — |
| 2004 | 0 kilocalories per day per capita | — |
| 2005 | 0 kilocalories per day per capita | — |
| 2006 | 0.9713 kilocalories per day per capita | — |
| 2007 | 0.9638 kilocalories per day per capita | -0.8% |
| 2008 | 0.9567 kilocalories per day per capita | -0.7% |
| 2009 | 0.9507 kilocalories per day per capita | -0.6% |
| 2010 | 2.14 kilocalories per day per capita | +125.1% |
| 2011 | 2.13 kilocalories per day per capita | -0.5% |
| 2012 | 2.13 kilocalories per day per capita | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 2.13 kilocalories per day per capita | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 2.11 kilocalories per day per capita | -0.9% |
| 2015 | 2.11 kilocalories per day per capita | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 2.15 kilocalories per day per capita | +1.9% |
| 2017 | 2.13 kilocalories per day per capita | -0.9% |
| 2018 | 2.26 kilocalories per day per capita | +6.1% |
| 2019 | 4.24 kilocalories per day per capita | +87.6% |
| 2020 | 3.97 kilocalories per day per capita | -6.4% |
| 2021 | 3.7 kilocalories per day per capita | -6.8% |
| 2022 | 8.76 kilocalories per day per capita | +136.8% |
| 2023 | 4.06 kilocalories per day per capita | -53.7% |
Zambia compared with similar countries
- Zambia's 4.06 kilocalories per day per capita is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 7.79 kilocalories per day per capita, 52% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Zambia's 4.06 kilocalories per day per capita is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 4.79 kilocalories per day per capita, 85% of the median. (45 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Dietary composition by country in Zambia changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | +136.8% | 3.7 kilocalories per day per capita | 8.76 kilocalories per day per capita |
| 2010 | +125.1% | 0.9507 kilocalories per day per capita | 2.14 kilocalories per day per capita |
| 1971 | +101.2% | 0.9698 kilocalories per day per capita | 1.95 kilocalories per day per capita |
| 1974 | +101.0% | 0.9862 kilocalories per day per capita | 1.98 kilocalories per day per capita |
| 1979 | -100.0% | 1 kilocalories per day per capita | 0 kilocalories per day per capita |
| 1983 | -100.0% | 1.01 kilocalories per day per capita | 0 kilocalories per day per capita |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0.9701 kilocalories per day per capita | 0.9664 kilocalories per day per capita | 0.9754 kilocalories per day per capita | 9 |
| 1970s | 1.09 kilocalories per day per capita | 0 kilocalories per day per capita | 1.98 kilocalories per day per capita | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.1009 kilocalories per day per capita | 0 kilocalories per day per capita | 1.01 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 | 0.5854 kilocalories per day per capita | 0 kilocalories per day per capita | 1.01 kilocalories per day per capita | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.35 kilocalories per day per capita | 2.11 kilocalories per day per capita | 4.24 kilocalories per day per capita | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.12 kilocalories per day per capita | 3.7 kilocalories per day per capita | 8.76 kilocalories per day per capita | 4 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
- 126 Cameroon 4.36 kilocalories per day per capita compare
- 127 Afghanistan 4.24 kilocalories per day per capita compare
- 128 Benin 4.13 kilocalories per day per capita compare
- 130 Rwanda 3.83 kilocalories per day per capita compare
- 131 United Arab Emirates 3.78 kilocalories per day per capita compare
- 132 Peru 3.56 kilocalories per day per capita compare
More reference data data for Zambia
- Exchange rate, new LCU per USD extended backward, period average 18.94 (2026)
- Exchange rate, old LCU per USD extended forward, period average 18.94 (2026)
- Official exchange rate, LCU per USD, period average 18.94 (2026)
- Global number of reported disasters by size, gaps filled 0 events (2025)
- Annual precipitation, annual growth rate 40.84 % change on previous year (2025)
- Free country, gaps filled 1 (2025)
- Civil liberties rating, gaps filled 4 (2025)
- Civil liberties rating, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Civil liberties rating, per capita 0 units per person (2025)
- Consumer price index 483.32 2010 = 100 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is dietary composition by country in Zambia?
- Dietary composition by country in Zambia was 4.06 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 Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 8.76 kilocalories per day per capita in 2022.
- What is the lowest dietary composition by country recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 kilocalories per day per capita in 1979.
- How does Zambia rank for dietary composition by country?
- Zambia ranks 129th out of 191 countries with data for 2023.
- Is dietary composition by country rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 90.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Zambia 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.
Download this data
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About this data
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.