Spatial and economic determinants of different food consumption patterns around the world

This paper addresses the spatial differentiation of food consumption patterns. The objective is to identify the economic and natural determinants of consumption levels and of differences in foodstuffs consumed around the world in the 2000s. The study was based on data delivered by FAOSTAT and the World Bank. An analysis was performed of global correlation trends between economic factors (GDP per capita), natural and geographic factors (agricultural land per capita, and the food availability status. Also, cluster analysis was used to group the countries around the world by percentage share of plant, animal and aquaculture products in the dietary energy consumption (kcal/capita/day), and by agricultural land per capita. Based on the analyses, the economic factor was found to significantly prevail as a determinant of food security for different nations. The size of the dietary energy consumption and the share of animal products in it depend primarily on the domestic product per capita. Also noticed was the relatively low importance of natural conditions, expressed in this paper as agricultural land per capita. Based on previous research, the suitability of land for agricultural purposes was found to be historically important for human settlement around the world, though currently it is not the key determinant of food security. Also, the importance of aquaculture in addressing the global population’s food needs was found to be marginal though spatially differentiated.