Global Hunger Index (GHI)

What does this indicator tell us?

The global hunger index is a means of monitoring whether countries are achieving hunger-related SDGs. It can be used for international ranking.

How is it defined?

The global hunger index captures three dimensions of hunger: insufficient availability of food, shortfalls in the nutritional status of children and child mortality (which is, to a large extent, attributable to undernutrition). Accordingly, the index includes three equally weighted indicators: the proportion of people who are food energy-deficient, as estimated by FAO; the prevalence of underweight in children aged under 5 years, as compiled by WHO; and the mortality rate of children aged under 5 years, as reported by UNICEF. A regression analysis of the global hunger index on GNI per capita is performed to identify countries that are notably better or worse off with regard to hunger and undernutrition than would be expected from their GNI per capita. Countries are ranked on a 100-point scale, with 0 and 100 being the best and worst possible scores, respectively.

What are the consequences and implications?

Hunger is one of the world's major problems and, therefore, one of its most important challenges. Hunger and undernourishment form a vicious circle, which is often "passed on" from generation to generation. The children of impoverished parents are often born underweight and are less resistant to disease; they grow up under conditions that impair their intellectual capacity for their whole lives. Factors that contribute to a high global hunger index have been identified as low income and poverty, war and violent conflict, general lack of freedom, low women's status, and poorly targeted and delivered health and nutrition programmes.

GHI Severity Scale

Source:  International Food Policy Research Institute. Understanding the GHI.

Source of data

International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). Global hunger index (http://www.ifpri.org/topic/global-hunger-index).

Further reading

Wiesmann D. A global hunger index: measurement concept, ranking of countries, and trends. Washington (DC): International Food Policy Research Institute; 2006 (http://ifpri.worldcat.org/oclc/239951858).

Internet resources

IFPRI. Understanding the GHI (https://www.globalhungerindex.org/about/#ghi-severity).

IFPRI. Global hunger index reports (https://www.ifpri.org/previous-global-hunger-index-ghi-reports).

UN. Global Sustainable Development Goals indicators database (https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/indicators/database/).