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• Nearly one-third of people in Northern Africa could not afford a healthy diet.
• More than half of children under 5 suffer from at least one micronutrient deficiency.
• Two-thirds of women are overweight.

There are regional disparities. However, limited access to and affordability of nutritious foods, the increased availability and consumption of energy-dense, nutrient-poor, high-fat foods, and increased sedentary lifestyles all contribute to poor nutritional status, requiring investment across the life cycle.

The Fill the Nutrient Gap (FNG) analysis enables decision-makers to identify the most effective, context-specific interventions that improve access to healthy, nutritious diets for vulnerable groups. Using local food prices and household expenditure data, diet costs and barriers to adequate nutrition are assessed through optimisation modelling. Conducted in collaboration with national stakeholders, FNG results inform policies and programmes across sectors such as social protection, health, food, agriculture, and education to enhance nutrition outcomes.