The number of people living in urban environments is growing at a rapid rate. Urban living fundamentally changes how people eat, as they are more reliant on needing paid employment and are more limited with growing their own food. This shift towards more urban living is also seeing big changes in food environments for most people, and what food is available, affordable and accessible to them.
This is contributing to fast shifting patterns of malnutrition among and between different income groups. Altogether, urban areas pose unique challenges and opportunities around diets and nutrition.
This factsheet summarises some of these major shifts and points to the challenges that we face feeding cities with nutritious and affordable diets.