Number of people who cannot afford a healthy diet in South Africa
South Africa: Number of people who cannot afford a healthy diet was 39.50 million people in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
39.50 million people
Change on year
up 1.3%
World rank
14th
of 150 countries
All-time high
39.50 million people
in 2024
All-time low
35.00 million people
in 2017
Years of data
8
2017–2024
Number of people who cannot afford a healthy diet in South Africa, 2017–2024
Source: FAO and World Bank (2025), using data and methods from Bai et al. (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for number of people who cannot afford a healthy diet in South Africa is 39.50 million people, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 8 years on record.
The figure is up 1.3% on the previous year and up 12.9% over ten years.
South Africa ranks 14th of 150 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
Number of people who cannot afford a healthy diet in South Africa, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 35.00 million people | — |
| 2018 | 35.30 million people | +0.9% |
| 2019 | 35.90 million people | +1.7% |
| 2020 | 37.40 million people | +4.2% |
| 2021 | 37.60 million people | +0.5% |
| 2022 | 38.10 million people | +1.3% |
| 2023 | 39.00 million people | +2.4% |
| 2024 | 39.50 million people | +1.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 35.40 million people | 35.00 million people | 35.90 million people | 3 |
| 2020s | 38.32 million people | 37.40 million people | 39.50 million people | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 11 Tanzania, United Republic of 50.60 million people compare
- 12 Brazil 50.20 million people compare
- 13 Kenya 43.50 million people compare
- 15 Uganda 35.60 million people compare
- 16 Mozambique 30.90 million people compare
- 17 Madagascar 29.90 million people compare
More health data for South Africa
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -2.2 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.1386 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,152 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 3,333 deaths (2100)
- Total tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 22 (2025)
- Total tetanus - number of reported cases, per capita 0 units per person (2025)
- Diphtheria - number of reported cases, gaps filled 314 (2025)
- Diphtheria - number of reported cases, per capita 0 units per person (2025)
- Measles - number of reported cases, gaps filled 2,778 (2025)
- Measles - number of reported cases, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of people who cannot afford a healthy diet in South Africa?
- Number of people who cannot afford a healthy diet in South Africa was 39.50 million people in 2024, according to FAO and World Bank (2025), using data and methods from Bai et al. (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of people who cannot afford a healthy diet recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 39.50 million people in 2024.
- What is the lowest number of people who cannot afford a healthy diet recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 35.00 million people in 2017.
- How does South Africa rank for number of people who cannot afford a healthy diet?
- South Africa ranks 14th out of 150 countries with data for 2024.
- Is number of people who cannot afford a healthy diet rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 12.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from FAO and World Bank (2025), using data and methods from Bai et al. (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of people who cannot afford a healthy diet. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Total number of people who cannot afford a healthy diet in a given country and year.