Dietary compositions by commodity group in South Africa
South Africa: Dietary compositions by commodity group was 40.09 kilocalories per day per capita in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
40.09 kilocalories per day per capita
Change on year
up 0.5%
World rank
129th
of 192 countries
All-time high
44.31 kilocalories per day per capita
in 2021
All-time low
15.13 kilocalories per day per capita
in 1999
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Dietary compositions by commodity group in South Africa, 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 South Africa stood at 40.09 kilocalories per day per capita.
That represents a change of up 0.5% on the previous year and up 28.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, dietary compositions by commodity group in South Africa peaked at 44.31 kilocalories per day per capita in 2021 and was at its lowest, 15.13 kilocalories per day per capita, in 1999.
South Africa ranks 129th of 192 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 63 years of available data.
Dietary compositions by commodity group in South Africa, year by year
| Year | kilocalories per day per capita | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 22.17 kilocalories per day per capita | — |
| 1962 | 24.19 kilocalories per day per capita | +9.1% |
| 1963 | 24.1 kilocalories per day per capita | -0.4% |
| 1964 | 22.95 kilocalories per day per capita | -4.8% |
| 1965 | 23.87 kilocalories per day per capita | +4.0% |
| 1966 | 23.74 kilocalories per day per capita | -0.6% |
| 1967 | 22.57 kilocalories per day per capita | -4.9% |
| 1968 | 21.42 kilocalories per day per capita | -5.1% |
| 1969 | 22.32 kilocalories per day per capita | +4.2% |
| 1970 | 23.23 kilocalories per day per capita | +4.1% |
| 1971 | 24.17 kilocalories per day per capita | +4.1% |
| 1972 | 23.12 kilocalories per day per capita | -4.3% |
| 1973 | 23.09 kilocalories per day per capita | -0.2% |
| 1974 | 23.05 kilocalories per day per capita | -0.2% |
| 1975 | 22.01 kilocalories per day per capita | -4.5% |
| 1976 | 21.97 kilocalories per day per capita | -0.2% |
| 1977 | 20.92 kilocalories per day per capita | -4.8% |
| 1978 | 21.85 kilocalories per day per capita | +4.4% |
| 1979 | 21.79 kilocalories per day per capita | -0.3% |
| 1980 | 20.69 kilocalories per day per capita | -5.1% |
| 1981 | 20.51 kilocalories per day per capita | -0.8% |
| 1982 | 20.33 kilocalories per day per capita | -0.9% |
| 1983 | 21.11 kilocalories per day per capita | +3.8% |
| 1984 | 20.9 kilocalories per day per capita | -1.0% |
| 1985 | 18.82 kilocalories per day per capita | -9.9% |
| 1986 | 21.44 kilocalories per day per capita | +13.9% |
| 1987 | 20.31 kilocalories per day per capita | -5.3% |
| 1988 | 17.38 kilocalories per day per capita | -14.4% |
| 1989 | 16.34 kilocalories per day per capita | -6.0% |
| 1990 | 17.16 kilocalories per day per capita | +5.0% |
| 1991 | 16.28 kilocalories per day per capita | -5.1% |
| 1992 | 15.48 kilocalories per day per capita | -4.9% |
| 1993 | 15.56 kilocalories per day per capita | +0.5% |
| 1994 | 16.59 kilocalories per day per capita | +6.7% |
| 1995 | 16.74 kilocalories per day per capita | +0.9% |
| 1996 | 15.9 kilocalories per day per capita | -5.0% |
| 1997 | 15.97 kilocalories per day per capita | +0.5% |
| 1998 | 16.02 kilocalories per day per capita | +0.3% |
| 1999 | 15.13 kilocalories per day per capita | -5.5% |
| 2000 | 18.07 kilocalories per day per capita | +19.4% |
| 2001 | 18.18 kilocalories per day per capita | +0.6% |
| 2002 | 19.24 kilocalories per day per capita | +5.8% |
| 2003 | 21.26 kilocalories per day per capita | +10.5% |
| 2004 | 23.3 kilocalories per day per capita | +9.6% |
| 2005 | 23.39 kilocalories per day per capita | +0.4% |
| 2006 | 25.44 kilocalories per day per capita | +8.8% |
| 2007 | 25.52 kilocalories per day per capita | +0.3% |
| 2008 | 26.55 kilocalories per day per capita | +4.0% |
| 2009 | 26.56 kilocalories per day per capita | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 27.59 kilocalories per day per capita | +3.9% |
| 2011 | 31.54 kilocalories per day per capita | +14.3% |
| 2012 | 32.83 kilocalories per day per capita | +4.1% |
| 2013 | 31.15 kilocalories per day per capita | -5.1% |
| 2014 | 36.41 kilocalories per day per capita | +16.9% |
| 2015 | 36.54 kilocalories per day per capita | +0.4% |
| 2016 | 37.95 kilocalories per day per capita | +3.9% |
| 2017 | 30.59 kilocalories per day per capita | -19.4% |
| 2018 | 31.06 kilocalories per day per capita | +1.5% |
| 2019 | 37.84 kilocalories per day per capita | +21.8% |
| 2020 | 39.62 kilocalories per day per capita | +4.7% |
| 2021 | 44.31 kilocalories per day per capita | +11.8% |
| 2022 | 39.9 kilocalories per day per capita | -10.0% |
| 2023 | 40.09 kilocalories per day per capita | +0.5% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 40.09 kilocalories per day per capita is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 70.36 kilocalories per day per capita, 57% of the median. (57 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 40.09 kilocalories per day per capita is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 28.71 kilocalories per day per capita, 1.4× the median. (45 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 23.04 kilocalories per day per capita | 21.42 kilocalories per day per capita | 24.19 kilocalories per day per capita | 9 |
| 1970s | 22.52 kilocalories per day per capita | 20.92 kilocalories per day per capita | 24.17 kilocalories per day per capita | 10 |
| 1980s | 19.78 kilocalories per day per capita | 16.34 kilocalories per day per capita | 21.44 kilocalories per day per capita | 10 |
| 1990s | 16.08 kilocalories per day per capita | 15.13 kilocalories per day per capita | 17.16 kilocalories per day per capita | 10 |
| 2000s | 22.75 kilocalories per day per capita | 18.07 kilocalories per day per capita | 26.56 kilocalories per day per capita | 10 |
| 2010s | 33.35 kilocalories per day per capita | 27.59 kilocalories per day per capita | 37.95 kilocalories per day per capita | 10 |
| 2020s | 40.98 kilocalories per day per capita | 39.62 kilocalories per day per capita | 44.31 kilocalories per day per capita | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 126 Ethiopia 41.08 kilocalories per day per capita compare
- 127 Russia 41 kilocalories per day per capita compare
- 128 Dominican Republic 40.77 kilocalories per day per capita compare
- 130 Jordan 39.7 kilocalories per day per capita compare
- 131 Ghana 39.66 kilocalories per day per capita compare
- 132 Zimbabwe 39.45 kilocalories per day per capita compare
More reference data data for South Africa
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.5111 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 8.71 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 13.63 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.7468 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 13.63 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.71 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 1.49 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 41.1 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 63.65 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 4.07 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is dietary compositions by commodity group in South Africa?
- Dietary compositions by commodity group in South Africa was 40.09 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 South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 44.31 kilocalories per day per capita in 2021.
- What is the lowest dietary compositions by commodity group recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 15.13 kilocalories per day per capita in 1999.
- How does South Africa rank for dietary compositions by commodity group?
- South Africa ranks 129th out of 192 countries with data for 2023.
- Is dietary compositions by commodity group rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 28.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa 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.
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About this data
Average per capita dietary energy supply by commodity groups, measured in kilocalories per person per day.