Global patterns of calorie intake

Exam code: 2217

Written by: Ashika|Reviewed by: Caroline Carroll|Updated 2 July 2026

Specification link

This page covers section 10.2.1 of the CIE O Level specification.

Food consumption around the world is increasing due to:
- Population increase: the world population has now reached 8 billion
  - Much of this growth has been in LICs and MICs where people are more likely to suffer food insecurity
- As countries develop people have money to buy more food
- Transport of food is easier and cheaper than in the past
Sufficient food is produced to feed the world's population
- The distribution of the food available is not equal

To live a healthy and active life people require about 2,500 calories
- In areas like the USA and Europe people consume more calories than needed
- In areas such as Pakistan, Venezuela and sub-Saharan Africa people consume fewer calories than needed

There are many factors which affect calorie intake these may be due to:
- food supply
- food production
- diet
Diet can impact the levels of calorie consumption
- People in HICs tend to have a higher calorie consumption, as diets are richer in fats and sugars
- In LICs people tend to consume fewer calories, as diets focus on lower fat and higher fibre diets
Food production is dependent on several factors

Crops and animals require suitable conditions the climate impacts on whether there is enough, too little or too much precipitation and sunshine

Soil depth, structure, fertility and pH all influence the types of crops which can be grown

Investment in agriculture tends to be higher in HICs
Government subsidies are often available to help support farmers so that they keep producing food