Countdown Indicators Breakdown
The Food Systems Countdown Initiative (FSCI) is a collaborative interdisciplinary effort to monitor global food systems. The Countdown developed a framework that includes five themes: (1) diets, nutrition, and health; (2) environment, natural resources, and production; (3) livelihoods, poverty, and equity; (4) governance; and (5) resilience and identified 50 indicators across these themes. This page presents national level data for these 50 indicators for Denmark.
Denmark income group: High Income
Comparison
Denmark
Northern America & Europe
World
Diets, Nutrition, and Health
Less Desirable
More Desirable
Denmark
22.20
Northern America & Europe
57.93
World
6,638.36
PPP dollar/capita/day
Cost of a healthy diet
22.20 PPP dollar/capita/day
Per-person cost of the least expensive locally available foods to meet daily needs, based on food-based dietary guidelines
2024
Source FAOSTAT
Denmark
1%
Northern America & Europe
7%
World
32%
Percent of the population who cannot afford a healthy diet
1%
Denmark
358.7
Northern America & Europe
318.7
World
267.3
g/capita/day
Availability of fruits
358.7 g/capita/day
Amount of fruits—an underconsumed yet highly nutritious food group—available in a country’s food supply per capita per day
2022
Source FAOSTAT
Denmark
444.7
Northern America & Europe
445.5
World
300.0
g/capita/day
Availability of vegetables
444.7 g/capita/day
Amount of vegetables—an underconsumed yet highly nutritious food group—available in a country’s food supply per capita per day
2022
Source FAOSTAT
Denmark
100%
Northern America & Europe
93%
World
68%
Percent of the population using safely managed drinking water services (SDG 6.1.1)
100%
Share of the population that gets drinking water from an improved source, providing the clean water essential for food security (SDG 6.1.1)
2022
Denmark
1,287.3
Northern America & Europe
788.9
World
342.8
USD/capita
Retail value (total sales) of ultra-processed foods per capita
1,287.3 USD/capita
Annual perperson sales of ultra-processed foods, which are known to be associated with poor health outcomes
2023
Northern America & Europe
80%
World
65%
MDD-W: Minimum Dietary Diversity for Women (SDG 2.2.4)
No Data
Share of women who consumed at least the minimum recommended food groups the previous day, which makes it more likely they consume adequate micronutrients
Northern America & Europe
37%
World
32%
All-5: Consumption of all five food groups
No Data
Share of the adult population consuming all five food groups typically recommended for daily consumption
Northern America & Europe
35%
World
26%
Age 15+: Soft drink consumption
No Data
Share of adults who consumed a sugar-sweetened soft drink, which are generally known to be unhealthy, during the previous day
Northern America & Europe
3.7
World
3.4
Age 15+: NCD-Protect
No Data
Average score for adults on an indicator of dietary practices protective against noncommunicable diseases, like eating enough fiber, on a scale from 0 to 9
Northern America & Europe
3.2
World
2.2
Age 15+: NCD-Risk
No Data
Average score for adults on an indicator of dietary practices known to raise the risk of noncommunicable diseases, like eating too much sugar, on a scale from 0 to 9
Northern America & Europe
6%
World
11%
Age 15+: Zero vegetable or fruit consumption
No Data
Share of adults who did not consume any fruits or vegetables the previous day
Denmark
0%
Northern America & Europe
0%
World
9%
Prevalence of undernourishment (SDG 2.1.1)
0%
Share of the population that goes hungry—that is, lacks enough calories for a healthy, active life (SDG 2.1.1)
2024
Source FAOSTAT
Denmark
7%
Northern America & Europe
10%
World
31%
Percent of the population experiencing moderate or severe food insecurity (SDG 2.1.2)
7%
Share of the population experiencing food insecurity, measured according to the Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES) (SDG 2.1.2)
2024
Source FAOSTAT
Northern America & Europe
71%
World
39%
MDD-C: Minimum Dietary Diversity for Children (SDG 2.2.4)
No Data
Share of young children who consumed at least the minimum recommended food groups the previous day, which makes it more likely they consume adequate micronutrients
Source UNICEF
Northern America & Europe
11
World
32
% population 6-23 months
Children (6-23 months): Zero vegetable or fruit consumption
No Data
Share of young children who did not consume any fruits or vegetables the previous day
Source UNICEF
Less Desirable
More Desirable
Environment, Natural Resources, and Production
Less Desirable
More Desirable
Denmark
61%
Northern America & Europe
68%
World
65%
Cropland nitrogen use efficiency
61%
Denmark
0.567170
Northern America & Europe
0.559964
World
0.378862
tonnes/ha
Cereals yield
0.567170 tonnes/ha
Yield, or production per unit area (tonnes per hectare)—an indicator of how efficient production is
2023
Source FAOSTAT
Denmark
1.086220
Northern America & Europe
1.245036
World
1.396111
tonnes/ha
Fruit yield
1.086220 tonnes/ha
Yield, or production per unit area (tonnes per hectare)—an indicator of how efficient production is
2023
Source FAOSTAT
Denmark
2.603060
Northern America & Europe
2.953648
World
2.006731
tonnes/ha
Vegetable yield
2.603060 tonnes/ha
Yield, or production per unit area (tonnes per hectare)—an indicator of how efficient production is
2023
Source FAOSTAT
Denmark
103,999
Northern America & Europe
70,648
World
30,820
100 g/animal
Cow's milk yield
103,999 100 g/animal
Yield, or production per animal (100 g per animal)—an indicator of how efficient production is
2023
Source FAOSTAT
Denmark
26.7
Northern America & Europe
26.4
World
20.1
kg/animal
Beef yield
26.7 kg/animal
Yield, or production per animal (100 g per animal)—an indicator of how efficient production is
2023
Source FAOSTAT
Denmark
50.9
Northern America & Europe
38.3
World
21.2
Fishery health index progress score
50.9
An indicator summarizing the availability and sustainability of fish, which are at risk of overfishing or environmental degradation
2021
Source Minderoo Foundation
Denmark
20,554.4
Northern America & Europe
73,528.8
World
83,757.2
kT CO2eq
Agri-food systems greenhouse gas emissions
20,554.4 kT CO2eq
Denmark
0.1
Northern America & Europe
0.2
World
0.2
kg CO2eq/kg product
Greenhouse gas emissions intensity for cereals (excluding rice)
0.1 kg CO2eq/kg product
Greenhouse gas emissions (kg CO2 equivalents) per kilogram produced of cereals (excluding rice)
2022
Source FAOSTAT
Northern America & Europe
2.1
World
1.1
kg CO2eq/kg product
Greenhouse gas emissions intensity for rice
No Data
Greenhouse gas emissions (kg CO2 equivalents) per kilogram produced of rice
Source FAOSTAT
Denmark
0.5
Northern America & Europe
0.6
World
0.9
kg CO2eq/kg product
Greenhouse gas emissions intensity for cow's milk
0.5 kg CO2eq/kg product
Denmark
16.6
Northern America & Europe
14.7
World
28.3
kg CO2eq/kg product
Greenhouse gas emissions intensity for beef
16.6 kg CO2eq/kg product
Denmark
-0
Northern America & Europe
-0
World
0
% change
Cropland area change
-0% change
Average percentage change in cropland over the previous five years; expanding cropland is a major driver of biodiversity and ecosystem service loss and greenhouse gas emissions
2022
Source FSCI
Denmark
27
Northern America & Europe
38
World
46
% agricultural land
Functional integrity: Agricultural land with minimum level of natural habitat
27% agricultural land
Percentage of agricultural land area with enough semi-natural or natural habitat, relative to the amount of cropland or rangeland, to maintain biodiversity and functioning ecosystems
2015
Source DeClerck et al. 2021
Denmark
9%
Northern America & Europe
3%
World
17%
Agriculture water withdrawal as percent of total renewable water resources
9%
Water withdrawn for irrigation each year, as a percentage of the total renewable water resources available
2020
Source AQUASTAT
Denmark
1.4
Northern America & Europe
3.1
World
4.8
kg/ha
Pesticide use per area of cropland
1.4 kg/ha
The use of pesticides per area of cropland (kg active ingredient per hectare); pesticide use can cause pollution and harm health
2023
Source FAOSTAT
Less Desirable
More Desirable
Livelihoods, Poverty, and Equity
Less Desirable
More Desirable
Denmark
1
Northern America & Europe
3
World
11
% GDP
Share of agriculture in GDP (SDG 2.a.1)
1% GDP
Percentage of a country’s GDP derived from agriculture, a measure of the level of economic development of the country
2023
Source FAOSTAT
Denmark
4
Northern America & Europe
6
World
6
% working age population
Unemployment rate (Rural)
4% working age population
Denmark
3
Northern America & Europe
3
World
5
% working age population
Underemployment rate (Rural)
3% working age population
Percentage of working-age people in rural areas who are underemployed (i.e., worked fewer hours than expected)
2023
Source ILO
Northern America & Europe
73
World
58
% population
Social protection coverage
No Data
Percentage of people who live in households that benefit from social protection programs, like cash transfers and health insurance
Source World Bank
Northern America & Europe
40
World
23
% welfare of beneficiary households
Social protection adequacy
No Data
An indicator showing the extent to which social protection is sufficient to meet household needs
Source World Bank
Northern America & Europe
5
World
11
% children 5-17
Percent of children 5-17 years engaged in child labor
No Data
Percentage of children ages 5–17 who are engaged in child labor, the majority of which is known to be in the food system and specifically in agriculture
Source UNICEF
Less Desirable
More Desirable
Governance
Less Desirable
More Desirable
Denmark
1.0
Northern America & Europe
0.8
World
0.6
Civil society participation index
1.0
An indicator capturing the level of participation in civil society organizations
2023
Source Varieties of Democracy
Denmark
0%
Northern America & Europe
0%
World
0%
Percent of the urban population living in cities signed onto the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact
0%
Percentage of the urban population that lives in cities signed on to the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact, suggesting prioritization of food issues in urban planning
2025
Denmark
1.0
Northern America & Europe
1.0
World
1.1
Degree of legal recognition of the right to food
Some other implicit recognition, codification of international statutes, or other pertinent provisions
Denmark
1.0
Northern America & Europe
0.5
World
0.7
Presence of a national food system transformation pathway
Yes
Denmark
2.0
Northern America & Europe
0.8
World
0.1
Government effectiveness index
2.0
An index capturing the perception of how effective the government is in making and enforcing policies and providing services
2023
Source World Governance Indicators
Denmark
100.0
Northern America & Europe
88.7
World
69.3
Food safety capacity
100.0
Whether functioning mechanisms exist to detect and respond to foodborne disease issues, measured as the percentage of a set of criteria met
2020
Denmark
3.0
Northern America & Europe
2.1
World
1.2
Presence of national health-related food environment policies
Both
Whether the country has any health-related food environment policies, which are used to discourage consumption of unhealthy foods and beverages or encourage the consumption of healthy foods and beverages.
2025
Denmark
2.0
Northern America & Europe
1.2
World
0.2
V-Dem accountability index
2.0
An index capturing the extent to which the government is seen as being accountable for its actions
2023
Source Varieties of Democracy
Northern America & Europe
66.4
World
45.1
Open budget index score
No Data
A score based on how easily the public can access information about how the government raises and spends money
Denmark
0.0
Northern America & Europe
0.0
World
0.0
Guarantees for public access to information (SDG 16.10.2)
No
Whether the country has and implements guarantees for access to information (SDG 16.10.2)
2025
Less Desirable
More Desirable
Resilience
Less Desirable
More Desirable
Denmark
0.000
Northern America & Europe
0.000
World
0.000
Ratio of total damages from all disasters to GDP
0.000
Denmark
0.8
Northern America & Europe
0.8
World
0.7
Dietary sourcing flexibility index
0.8
An index capturing the diversity of pathways through which food reaches consumers, indicating how difficult it is to disrupt the food supply
2020
Source FAO
Denmark
126.5
Northern America & Europe
124.2
World
110.1
Number per 100 people
Mobile cellular subscriptions
126.5 Number per 100 people
Number of mobile phone subscriptions as a percentage of the population, indicating the level of infrastructure and access to information to respond to shocks
2022
Denmark
0.772410
Northern America & Europe
0.567214
World
0.486813
Social capital index
0.772410
An index for the social capital in the country—how much people feel they can trust and can rely on their government and one another
2021
Source Legatum Institute , FSCI
Denmark
72
Northern America & Europe
14
World
25
% agricultural land
Proportion of agricultural land with minimum level of species diversity (crop and pasture)
72% agricultural land
Percentage of agricultural land (crop and pasture) containing a sufficient diversity of species, which helps cope with shocks and changes
2020
Source Jones et al. 2021
Denmark
1,043.0
Northern America & Europe
237,131.5
World
166,534.7
Number of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture secured in either medium- or long-term conservation facilities (SDG 2.5.1a)
1,043.0
Number of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture secured in medium- or long-term conservation facilities (SDG 2.5.1)
2022
Source FAOSTAT
Denmark
0.0
Northern America & Europe
5.4
World
3.2
Number of animal genetic resources for food and agriculture secured in either medium- or long-term conservation facilities (SDG 2.5.1b)
0.0
Number of animal genetic resources for food and agriculture secured in medium- or long-term conservation facilities (SDG 2.5.1)
2024
Source FAOSTAT
Northern America & Europe
0.2
World
0.3
Prevalence of severe coping strategies
No Data
Percentage of high-risk populations who need to rely on extreme strategies to cope with food insecurity
Source WFP
Denmark
0.8
Northern America & Europe
0.8
World
0.7
Food price volatility
0.8
Denmark
32.0
Northern America & Europe
31.8
World
31.3
kcal/capita/day
Food supply variability
32.0 kcal/capita/day
How much the food supply (in calories per person per day) varies over time, indicating how well the food system can respond to shocks
2023
Source FAOSTAT
Less Desirable
More Desirable