Among Asian states, North Korean food security is only better than that of Afghanistan, a new survey has claimed. The ranking is contained in "Food Security Evaluation 2014," published on July 14th by the Economic Research Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

According to Radio Free Asia (RFA), the report notes that North Korean nutritional consumption does not even reach half of the UN recommended amount, making it among the lowest in Asia. Moreover, "Seven out of ten people in North Korea do not take in the recommended nutritional amount.��

It went on to assert that the reason is insufficient policy and a distorted economic system, as well as "shortages of fertilizer, fuel, and farming equipment."

The report analyzed food situations in 76 countries in the world and evaluated them under three categories: levels of hunger, nutritional intake, and numbers suffering from food shortages. The report is used as a reference when the U.S. government decides global food assistance programs.

The UN recommends consumption of 2100 calories per day to maintain health.