Availability of edible fats in the world

Estimation of the nutritional consumption of fats in the world is based essentially on FAO's food supply figures and supportive evidence from food consumption surveys. There is considerable inequality among regions and countries: 63 percent of the world's population receives less than 60 g fats per person per day, whereas 11,5 percent has access to over 120 g. The gap is closely tied to the countries' economic conditions. Availability of dietary fats differs greatly between developed and developing countries. In 1990 inhabitants of developed countries had access to an average of 135 g fats per person per day, including 65 g visible (i.e. extracted) fats and almost 80 g animal fats, whereas inhabitants of developing countries had access to only 50 g fats, of which 23 g were visible and barely 20 g animal. However, the consumption of fats since 1960 has increased more in the developing than in the developed countries; if current trends persist, the gap between the two groups of countries will close. Average consumption of fats in the most developed countries appears to have peaked and may even be falling. There is also a tendency in these countries to improve the nutritional quality of edible fats. The main economic factor determining level of fat consumption is income: when per caput gross national product rises from US$150 to US$6 000, fat availability increases from 35 to 130 g per person per day. The level and quality of fat consumption is also governed by other factors such as environment, dietary habits, level of education and degree of urbanization. The greater the urbanization, the larger the proportion of fats in the daily diet. Visible fats generally account for half the dietary fat intake, and among the visible fats vegetable oils have assumed the greatest importance; their consumption has more than doubled in most regions of the world since 1961.