Dietary compositions by commodity group in China
China: Dietary compositions by commodity group was 39.05 kilocalories per day per capita in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
39.05 kilocalories per day per capita
Change on year
up 1.7%
World rank
134th
of 192 countries
All-time high
39.4 kilocalories per day per capita
in 2021
All-time low
2 kilocalories per day per capita
in 1963
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Dietary compositions by commodity group in China, 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 compositions by commodity group in China stood at 39.05 kilocalories per day per capita.
That represents a change of up 1.7% on the previous year and up 32.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, dietary compositions by commodity group in China peaked at 39.4 kilocalories per day per capita in 2021 and was at its lowest, 2 kilocalories per day per capita, in 1963.
China ranks 134th of 192 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 compositions by commodity group in China, year by year
| Year | kilocalories per day per capita | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 2.02 kilocalories per day per capita | — |
| 1962 | 2.02 kilocalories per day per capita | +0.2% |
| 1963 | 2 kilocalories per day per capita | -1.2% |
| 1964 | 2.96 kilocalories per day per capita | +48.5% |
| 1965 | 2.95 kilocalories per day per capita | -0.4% |
| 1966 | 3.93 kilocalories per day per capita | +33.2% |
| 1967 | 3.94 kilocalories per day per capita | +0.2% |
| 1968 | 2.96 kilocalories per day per capita | -24.8% |
| 1969 | 2.96 kilocalories per day per capita | +0.1% |
| 1970 | 2.97 kilocalories per day per capita | +0.1% |
| 1971 | 3.96 kilocalories per day per capita | +33.5% |
| 1972 | 3.97 kilocalories per day per capita | +0.2% |
| 1973 | 3.97 kilocalories per day per capita | +0.2% |
| 1974 | 3.98 kilocalories per day per capita | +0.2% |
| 1975 | 3.99 kilocalories per day per capita | +0.2% |
| 1976 | 4 kilocalories per day per capita | +0.2% |
| 1977 | 4 kilocalories per day per capita | +0.1% |
| 1978 | 4 kilocalories per day per capita | +0.1% |
| 1979 | 4 kilocalories per day per capita | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 4 kilocalories per day per capita | -0.0% |
| 1981 | 4 kilocalories per day per capita | -0.1% |
| 1982 | 4 kilocalories per day per capita | -0.1% |
| 1983 | 4 kilocalories per day per capita | -0.0% |
| 1984 | 4 kilocalories per day per capita | +0.2% |
| 1985 | 5.01 kilocalories per day per capita | +25.2% |
| 1986 | 5.02 kilocalories per day per capita | +0.2% |
| 1987 | 5.03 kilocalories per day per capita | +0.2% |
| 1988 | 5.04 kilocalories per day per capita | +0.2% |
| 1989 | 5.05 kilocalories per day per capita | +0.2% |
| 1990 | 6.06 kilocalories per day per capita | +20.0% |
| 1991 | 8.08 kilocalories per day per capita | +33.4% |
| 1992 | 9.11 kilocalories per day per capita | +12.7% |
| 1993 | 10.13 kilocalories per day per capita | +11.2% |
| 1994 | 9.13 kilocalories per day per capita | -9.9% |
| 1995 | 11.16 kilocalories per day per capita | +22.3% |
| 1996 | 12.17 kilocalories per day per capita | +9.0% |
| 1997 | 12.15 kilocalories per day per capita | -0.1% |
| 1998 | 13.15 kilocalories per day per capita | +8.2% |
| 1999 | 15.15 kilocalories per day per capita | +15.2% |
| 2000 | 16.14 kilocalories per day per capita | +6.5% |
| 2001 | 17.12 kilocalories per day per capita | +6.1% |
| 2002 | 17.11 kilocalories per day per capita | -0.1% |
| 2003 | 18.12 kilocalories per day per capita | +5.9% |
| 2004 | 18.11 kilocalories per day per capita | -0.0% |
| 2005 | 18.11 kilocalories per day per capita | -0.0% |
| 2006 | 18.11 kilocalories per day per capita | -0.0% |
| 2007 | 19.12 kilocalories per day per capita | +5.6% |
| 2008 | 20.13 kilocalories per day per capita | +5.3% |
| 2009 | 20.13 kilocalories per day per capita | -0.0% |
| 2010 | 26.73 kilocalories per day per capita | +32.8% |
| 2011 | 27.38 kilocalories per day per capita | +2.4% |
| 2012 | 28.83 kilocalories per day per capita | +5.3% |
| 2013 | 29.42 kilocalories per day per capita | +2.0% |
| 2014 | 30.35 kilocalories per day per capita | +3.2% |
| 2015 | 30.99 kilocalories per day per capita | +2.1% |
| 2016 | 32.59 kilocalories per day per capita | +5.2% |
| 2017 | 33.76 kilocalories per day per capita | +3.6% |
| 2018 | 34.2 kilocalories per day per capita | +1.3% |
| 2019 | 35.15 kilocalories per day per capita | +2.8% |
| 2020 | 37.03 kilocalories per day per capita | +5.3% |
| 2021 | 39.4 kilocalories per day per capita | +6.4% |
| 2022 | 38.4 kilocalories per day per capita | -2.5% |
| 2023 | 39.05 kilocalories per day per capita | +1.7% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 39.05 kilocalories per day per capita is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 70.36 kilocalories per day per capita, 56% of the median. (57 countries reporting)
- China's 39.05 kilocalories per day per capita is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 75.67 kilocalories per day per capita, 52% of the median. (32 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Dietary compositions by commodity group in China 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1964 | +48.5% | 2 kilocalories per day per capita | 2.96 kilocalories per day per capita |
| 1971 | +33.5% | 2.97 kilocalories per day per capita | 3.96 kilocalories per day per capita |
| 1991 | +33.4% | 6.06 kilocalories per day per capita | 8.08 kilocalories per day per capita |
| 1966 | +33.2% | 2.95 kilocalories per day per capita | 3.93 kilocalories per day per capita |
| 2010 | +32.8% | 20.13 kilocalories per day per capita | 26.73 kilocalories per day per capita |
| 1985 | +25.2% | 4 kilocalories per day per capita | 5.01 kilocalories per day per capita |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 2.86 kilocalories per day per capita | 2 kilocalories per day per capita | 3.94 kilocalories per day per capita | 9 |
| 1970s | 3.88 kilocalories per day per capita | 2.97 kilocalories per day per capita | 4 kilocalories per day per capita | 10 |
| 1980s | 4.52 kilocalories per day per capita | 4 kilocalories per day per capita | 5.05 kilocalories per day per capita | 10 |
| 1990s | 10.63 kilocalories per day per capita | 6.06 kilocalories per day per capita | 15.15 kilocalories per day per capita | 10 |
| 2000s | 18.22 kilocalories per day per capita | 16.14 kilocalories per day per capita | 20.13 kilocalories per day per capita | 10 |
| 2010s | 30.94 kilocalories per day per capita | 26.73 kilocalories per day per capita | 35.15 kilocalories per day per capita | 10 |
| 2020s | 38.47 kilocalories per day per capita | 37.03 kilocalories per day per capita | 39.4 kilocalories per day per capita | 4 |
Countries ranked near China
- 131 Ghana 39.66 kilocalories per day per capita compare
- 132 Zimbabwe 39.45 kilocalories per day per capita compare
- 133 Mexico 39.44 kilocalories per day per capita compare
- 135 India 38.22 kilocalories per day per capita compare
- 136 Costa Rica 37.89 kilocalories per day per capita compare
- 137 Bolivia 37.7 kilocalories per day per capita compare
More reference data data for China
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 49.4 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 75.5 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 303.29 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 18.8 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 303.29 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 165.62 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 206.2 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 350.74 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 1,480 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 102.37 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is dietary compositions by commodity group in China?
- Dietary compositions by commodity group in China was 39.05 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 compositions by commodity group recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 39.4 kilocalories per day per capita in 2021.
- What is the lowest dietary compositions by commodity group recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 2 kilocalories per day per capita in 1963.
- How does China rank for dietary compositions by commodity group?
- China ranks 134th out of 192 countries with data for 2023.
- Is dietary compositions by commodity group rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 32.7%. 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 compositions by commodity group. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 63 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Average per capita dietary energy supply by commodity groups, measured in kilocalories per person per day.