Data for all countries spanning the timeframe from 1961 is based on daily caloric supply (kcal/person/day) as reported by the UN Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO). Daily caloric supply is defined as the average per capita caloric availability. Note that this indicates the caloric availability delivered to households but does not necessarily indicate the number of calories actually consumed (food may be wasted at the consumer level). FAO data can be found at its FAOstats database (food balance sheets): http://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data/FBS [accessed 2017-07-18]

Data from 1961-1991 for Post-Soviet states are assumed to be in line with reported data for the USSR over this period.

Data for the USSR is determined to be highly uncertain, and likely represents an overestimate of caloric supply prior to its dissolution. The FAO admits its estimates of USSR availability are highly uncertain, and comparative sources suggest the same. Detailed discussion on this topic is published by José Luis Ricón (Artir), available here: https://nintil.com/2016/05/11/the-soviet-union-food/

Data estimates for a select number of countries extends earlier than 1961. The data sources are noted below:

The data for Belgium, England, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Italy, the Netherlands and Norway between 1800 and 1960 is taken from Table 5.5 (Daily calorie consumption per head in western Europe, 1800–1960) in Floud, Fogel, Harris, and Hong (2011) – The Changing Body Health, Nutrition, and Human Development in the Western World Since 1700.

The data for the United Kingdom in 1700 and 1750 refers to England and Wales and is series B (the higher estimate) in table 4.9 in the same publication.

Data for the UK in 1837 and 1863 is derived from Clark, Gregory, Michael Huberman, and Peter Lindert. 1995. “A British Food Puzzle, 1770–1850.” Economic History Review 48(2): 215–237. Available at: https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/2598401.pdf?refreqid=excelsior%3A8924d3e19be34163046f26f10a92ee12

The data for the USA is taken from table 6.6 (Estimated daily caloric intake per capita, 1800–2004) in the same publication (the data for 1950 originally refers to 1952).

The data for France in 1705 is taken from table 1.2 in Fogel – The Escape from Hunger and Premature Death, 1700-2100.

Data for Sub-Saharan Africa, Kenya, Uganda, South Asia, Cambodia, China, India, Brazil, Mexico and Peru for the years 1934 and 1946 are taken from: FAO (2000) - The State of Food and Agriculture: Lessons from the Past 50 Years. Food and Agriculture Organization. Available at: http://www.fao.org/docrep/017/x4400e/x4400e.pdf.

Data for the years 1947 and 1948 for all countries are sourced from FAO (1949) – The state of food and agriculture, 1949 - a survey of world conditions and prospects. The State of Food and Agriculture, 1949. Available at: http://www.fao.org/docrep/016/ap637e/ap637e.pdf.

Data for England (here, labelled as the United Kingdom) from 1270 to 1850 is taken from Broadberry, S., Campbell, B., Klein, A., Overton, M., & Van Leeuwen, B. (2015). British Economic Growth, 1270–1870. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. doi:10.1017/CBO9781107707603.

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