Prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population in Australia

Australia: Prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population was 13.8% in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)
13.8%
Change on year
up 7.0%
World rank
78th
of 126 countries
All-time high
13.8%
in 2023
All-time low
10.8%
in 2015
Years of data
9
2015–2023

Prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population in Australia, 2015–2023

0510152015201920232015: 10.8 %2016: 11.8 %2017: 12.7 %2018: 13.3 %2019: 12.3 %2020: 11.9 %2021: 11.4 %2022: 12.9 %2023: 13.8 %

Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Measured in %.

Analysis

The most recent figure for prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population in Australia is 13.8%, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 9 years on record.

The figure is up 7.0% on the previous year and up 27.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population in Australia peaked at 13.8% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 10.8%, in 2015.

That places Australia 78th out of 126 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.

Prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population in Australia, year by year

Annual values for Prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population (%) in Australia, 2015 to 2023.
Year % Change
2015 10.8%
2016 11.8% +9.3%
2017 12.7% +7.6%
2018 13.3% +4.7%
2019 12.3% -7.5%
2020 11.9% -3.3%
2021 11.4% -4.2%
2022 12.9% +13.2%
2023 13.8% +7.0%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2010s 12.2% 10.8% 13.3% 5
2020s 12.5% 11.4% 13.8% 4

Countries ranked near Australia

  1. 75 Costa Rica 15.4% compare
  2. 76 North Macedonia 15.2% compare
  3. 77 Azerbaijan 14.0% compare
  4. 79 Brazil 13.5% compare
  5. 80 Finland 13.4% compare
  6. 81 Portugal 11.9% compare

See the full ranking of 149 places →

More health data for Australia

All data for Australia →

Frequently asked questions

What is prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population in Australia?
Prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population in Australia was 13.8% in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
What is the highest prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population recorded in Australia?
The highest recorded value was 13.8% in 2023.
What is the lowest prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population recorded in Australia?
The lowest recorded value was 10.8% in 2015.
How does Australia rank for prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population?
Australia ranks 78th out of 126 countries with data for 2023.
Is prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population rising or falling in Australia?
Over the last ten years it is up 27.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Australia data come from?
The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), published as part of Prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population in Australia. Statizoid, drawing on Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Retrieved 11 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/prevalence-of-moderate-or-severe-food-insecurity-in-the-population-percent/australia/

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About this data

Indicator
Prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population (%)
Unit
%
Source
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
149 places, 1,304 data points, 2014–2024
Last refreshed

The percentage of people in the population who live in households classified as moderately or severely food insecure. A household is classified as moderately or severely food insecure when at least one adult in the household has reported to have been exposed, at times during the year, to low quality diets and might have been forced to also reduce the quantity of food they would normally eat because of a lack of money or other resources.