EDITORIAL: A recent assessment by the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has revealed the deep structural distortions within the country’s food system that are eroding nutrition, and by extension weakening public health and long-term development outcomes. Presented on February 10 at a workshop convened to discuss Pakistan’s food systems, the analysis reaches a disturbing conclusion: while the system generates sufficient calories to feed the population, it fails to deliver the volume and diversity of healthy and nutritious foods required for a balanced diet. In effect, the country is producing energy, not nourishment, leaving millions vulnerable to malnutrition, stunting and diet-related diseases.
A central finding emphasises an acute asymmetry at the heart of the food system: cereals, sugar and edible oil are produced and consumed at levels that far exceed what healthy diets require, while the supply and intake of nutrient-dense foods like fruits, pulses and legumes remain woefully inadequate. This skewed pattern has entrenched a cereal-dominated diet across both urban and rural areas – more so in the latter – crowding out dietary diversity and locking households into poor nutritional choices. Milk and dairy remain the second-most consumed food group nationally, but vegetable intake remains moderate, and fruit consumption is consistently low, especially in rural areas, again underscoring micronutrient shortfalls. Troublingly, protein sources beyond dairy are scarce, with meat, poultry, and eggs consumed infrequently, particularly in rural communities. Pulses provide some supplementation but aren’t sufficient to make up for the lack of animal-source foods, leaving diets chronically deficient in essential nutrients.
Perhaps the most alarming finding is the sharp rise in consumption of sweets and snack foods. Rural communities again appear particularly affected, consuming more free sugars and fats than their urban counterparts, which could in part be due to the relative affordability of energy-dense, sugar- and fat-laden foods. It is also pertinent to note that sales of processed foods in Pakistan have nearly doubled in recent years. Taken together, the growing reliance on cheap, calorie- and sugar-rich products, and the surge in processed food consumption signal a rapid, damaging transformation of Pakistani diets.
The county now faces the double burden of malnutrition and obesity, intensifying pressures on the national health system and public well-being. The widespread consumption of nutrient-deficient foods has compounded Pakistan’s long-standing malnutrition crisis, hitting women and children the hardest. Anaemia now affects around 41 percent of women, contributes to poor maternal nutrition and one of the region’s highest maternal mortality rates – 186 deaths per 100,000 live births – besides also undermining infant health. Child malnutrition is also rampant, with stunting affecting 40 percent of children under five. Obesity has surged simultaneously, affecting 40 percent of adults, and fuelling a rise in non-communicable diseases (NCD), including cardiovascular illness, hypertension, and diabetes. The diabetes burden is particularly devastating, with Pakistan ranking third globally for diabetes prevalence. Together, the dual challenges of malnutrition and obesity have placed an immense pressure on already scarce health resources, driving demand for large tertiary care facilities while diverting funding from primary care and preventive services.
Tackling this predicament demands strategic and coordinated action. As recommended by the FAO, federal and provincial governments must realign incentives and subsidies to make nutrient-rich foods like fruits, vegetables and pulses, both more abundantly available and affordable for all communities. At the same time, curbing excessive sugar intake is critical: higher taxes on sugary drinks, confectionery and processed foods, with the proceeds reinvested into nutrition and health initiatives can create powerful incentives for change. Policies that reward producers who reduce sugar content or meet nutritional targets will further reinforce healthier consumption patterns. Ultimately, the priority must be to pave the way for a food system that supports both public wellbeing and human capital development.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026