The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) published a report with the amount of calories consumed by 184 countries. Most of the top spots are occupied by European nations, plus 2 from the Middle East and the United States.
Discover the diet of the 10 countries that consume the most calories per day.
How was the report prepared?
An analysis published by the University of Oxford organizes 184 countries in the world according to the amount of calories their inhabitants consume per day. The report is based on data collected by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), whose last year is 2020.
A striking detail is that most nations exceed the 2000 calories that their inhabitants consume on average per day. While all occupants of the first 10 positions are above 3500 calories per day.
This number exceeds the general recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO).
The WHO suggests between 1600 and 2000 calories for adult women, and 2000-2500 for men. However, factors such as age, body weight and physical activity involved in each particular case.
These are the countries that consume the most calories
In addition to the number of calories, the statistics also report the amount of protein, fat and meat that each country consumes on a daily average. It should be clarified that the data does not take into account the amount of food that is wasted.
10. Romania: 3599.76 kcal
The 10th place in the table is occupied by Romania. According to data from the same study, the inhabitants of this Balkan nation consume 180 grams of meat and 128.30 grams of fat daily.
dairy, coffee and poultry occupy a large percentage of their eating habits. In addition, meat, fruits, vegetables and oils also have relevance.
In the cultural aspect, they have a gastronomy influenced by Balkan, German and Hungarian cuisine. Soups and dishes with meat and fish abound.
9. Qatar: 3609.15 kcal
Next on the list is Qatar, a small Arab state that has seen exponential economic growth in recent decades. Within the daily calories, the Qataris integrate 216.94 grams of meat and 131.07 grams of fat. Meanwhile, more than half of their protein intake comes from vegetables and, secondly, meats.
Most typical Qatari dishes, such as majboos, warak enab or kousa, contain rice and meat. White rice is a cereal that has 361 calories in a portion of 100 grams, while the whole wheat is barely reduced to 345. However, that amount changes to about 130 calories once it’s cooked.
8. Italy: 3620,56 kcal
From this instance, it is notorious how the countries that consume the most calories per day are also those that ingest the most fat. For example, the diet of Italians is made up of an average of 155 grams of fat per day, which makes this country the tenth largest consumer in the world.
In turn, meats occupy 195 grams of their diet per day. The influence of pasta, pizza, risotto and gelato in the gastronomy of the European country is recognized. However, the intake of dairy products stands out, occupying 20% of their daily protein intake.
7. Germany: 3647.81 kcal
The next place is occupied by Germany, a country that, in turn, makes a great leap among the world’s largest consumers of fat. The 166 grams per day place it as the fourth country with the highest intake. It is likely that the consumption of meats and sausages, very protagonists in its gastronomy, explains part of the situation.
In addition, statistics indicate that Germans incorporate much of their protein through meat. In this sense, it is the country, within this top 10, that less grams of vegetable protein integrates into its diet.
6. Austria: 3738.94 kcal
The sixth consumer of calories in the world is, in turn, the country that consumes the most fat per person. About 185 grams place it at the top of this table, while meat intake represents about 213 grams daily.
The closeness of Austrian and German cuisine is clear. For example, sausages, very popular in street foods. However, one of the most representative dishes of the country is the wiener schnitzel, composed of beef or chicken, empanada and fried.
5. Turkey: 3762.08 kcal
The Turkish dish par excellence is the kebab, composed of slices of meat, vegetables and sauce in pita bread. Also popular is dolma, which wraps chunks of beef and rice cooked in grape leaves. Other typical preparations also demonstrate the influence of meat, vegetables and rice on the gastronomy of Turkey.
A striking fact is that, unlike previous countries, Turks ingest the vast majority of their proteins through vegetables. In addition, the daily fat intake is 125 grams, noticeably lower than that of Austria and Germany.
4. Belgium: 3824.21 kcal
This European country has strong French and Dutch influences in its gastronomy, although it also incorporates North African and Oriental elements. Belgian culture places a lot of emphasis on its food, being one of the hallmarks of the region. In its typical dishes the presence of potatoes, sausages and fish is distinguished.
In this way, Belgians consume almost 170 grams of meat and 180 grams of fat per day, ranking as the third country with the highest intake of the latter. Another noteworthy fact is that it is the state of this ranking that most incorporates its proteins through dairy products, representing almost 30% of the total.
3. Ireland: 3850,50 kcal
Entering the podium of the largest calorie consumers, it is possible to find another European nation. In Ireland the potato is also a frequent ingredient of their typical dishes, such as colcannon or champ. The Irish eat a lot of meat and, in terms of fat, they rank sixth in the world, with 162 grams per person per day.
This is denoted in their characteristic breakfast: sausages, bacon, blood sausage, potato bread and fried eggs. It is common for high-calorie diets to include fried foods.
Frying in oil or fat significantly increases the caloric value of meals. According to a study, regular consumption is associated with an increased risk of overweight and high blood pressure.
2. United States: 3868.28 kcal
The second country in the world with the highest caloric consumption is, in turn, the second consumer of meat and fat in the world. Americans incorporate most of their protein through meat, and this is not a causality in the country where fast food was born.
In this sense, a study by the Ibero-American Journal for Educational Research and Development suggests that excessive fast food intake may favor the development of obesity. In addition, it is also a risk factor for related diseases, such as type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure.
On the other hand, a survey in the British medical journal The Lancet calculated the global prevalence of overweight and obesity between 1980 and 2013. The results showed that the United States is the country with the highest proportion of obese and overweight people.
1. Bahrain: 4012,45 kcal
The country with the highest caloric consumption in the world is the small Arab state of the Persian Gulf, located north of Qatar and east of Saudi Arabia. Its population of 1 and a half million inhabitants consumes 156 grams of fat daily, which places the country as the ninth world consumer.
In its typical dishes, of strong Arab influence, the prevalence of chicken, lamb, rice, chickpeas and spices can be identified. In addition, its protein sources are balanced, with prevalence of those of plant origin.
