Overview

• Observed globally on October 16, World Food Day marks the FAO’s push to rethink how food is produced, distributed, and consumed.
• In Mexico, 55.7 million people live with food insecurity, according to CONEVAL, even as ultra-processed options remain widely available.
• Mexico leads per-capita consumption of sugary drinks at 163 liters a year and ranks second in adult obesity per the Pan American Health Organization, with ENSANUT 2023 reporting 37% of adults overweight or obese.
• An estimated 20 million tonnes of food are wasted annually in Mexico, the World Bank reports, underscoring systemic inefficiencies across the supply chain.
• Coverage from Argentina notes that economic pressures shape diets and elevates nutrition education and family planning as practical tools to improve access and health.