October 21, 2014

Over the past 50 years the per capita amount of calories available has increased by 28% however this increase varies widely between countries.  As of 2011 the amount of calories available per person in the U.S. totaled 3,641 (however not all of these calories were consumed, this number includes food that is wasted as well).  Of these calories, 37% were from sugar and fat – nearly double the global average.  The rise in consumption of vegetable oil has accounted for nearly half of the increase in caloric intake supplying 19% of American’s calories.  Over the past 50 years the calories available to the average Chinese consumer has doubled to 3,073 per day.  The average Chinese consumer eats twice as much produce, and now eats more meat than the average U.S. consumer, but eats less dairy, sugar and fat.  Globally, wheat and rice are the two most important crops supplying 37% of calories worldwide; however, this supply varies greatly between countries.  In the U.S. rice supplies 2% of calories while in Japan it supplies 21%.  India lags behind China on a per capita calorie intake basis with 2,458 calories available per day to the average Indian consumer.  Since 31% of the country is vegetarian meat consumption is low, however as the country becomes wealthier meat consumption has been rising and  today India consumes more meat than at any point on record.  In contrast, the U.S., Argentina, Japan, Spain, Germany, and the UK have all reached ‘peak meat’ consumption.

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