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A United Nations report reveals that over a quarter of Bangladesh's population experienced moderate or severe food insecurity from 2023 to 2025. The "State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2026" report estimates that 45.4 million people, or 26.2 percent of the population, faced this challenge during the period.

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The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2026 report estimated that 26.2 percent of Bangladesh’s population, or 45.4 million people, experienced moderate or severe food insecurity during the period.

Despite progress in reducing hunger, the report highlights that food insecurity and the prohibitive cost of nutritious food continue to pose major obstacles. The proportion of people facing moderate to severe food insecurity declined from 30.6 percent in 2014-16, but the problem remains widespread. Undernourishment affected 8.2 percent of the population, or 14.3 million people, between 2023-2025, a decrease from 15.1 percent in 2004-06.

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The report said Bangladesh had made progress in reducing hunger, but food insecurity and the high cost of a healthy diet continued to pose major challenges, leaving millions vulnerable to malnutrition.

Access to sufficient food does not guarantee a healthy diet. In 2025, nearly four in 10 Bangladeshis, or 38.6 percent of the population (67.8 million people), could not afford a healthy diet, though this is down from 62.8 percent in 2017. The cost of a healthy diet has also risen, reaching $4.59 per person per day in purchasing power parity terms in 2025, up from $3.09 in 2017.

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Nearly four in 10 Bangladeshis, or 38.6 percent of the population, were unable to afford a healthy diet in 2025, the report said.

Persistent malnutrition, especially among children and women, reflects the difficulty in affording nutritious food. In 2024, 10.7 percent of children under five suffered from wasting, and 25.1 percent were stunted. Among women aged 15-49, anemia affected 37.6 percent in 2023, an increase from 34.5 percent in 2012. Dietary diversity among young children also remains a concern, with only 37.6 percent achieving minimum dietary diversity between 2021-2025.

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Among children under five, 10.7 percent, or 1.7 million, suffered from wasting in 2024, while 25.1 percent, or 4.2 million, were stunted.