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2026. Vol.11. №3.

Consumption patterns and economic accessibility of rational nutrition in the CIS: Identifying hidden vulnerability

Oct 21 2026

Mitrofanov S. V., Yanbykh R. G., Orlova N. V. Consumption patterns and economic accessibility of rational nutrition in the CIS: Identifying hidden vulnerability // The Russian Peasant Studies. 2026. V.11. №3. P. 115-147.

EDN: RSCTOS

Annotation

Traditional approaches to the food security assessment, based on aggregated indicators of production and calorie intake, often hide structural imbalances in diets and economic vulnerability of households. The study aims at identifying hidden forms of food vulnerability and providing a typology of the CIS countries based on consumption patterns and economic access to rational nutrition. The authors address the following tasks: (1) to analyze cross-country differences in the consumption of basic food products; (2) to assess economic factors affecting access to rational nutrition (income, share of food expenditure, purchasing power, poverty, inequality); (3) to develop a typology of countries. The study is based on the data of the Interstate Statistical Committee of the CIS for 2010–2022 on nine countries; the methodology combines statistical, comparative-geographical and cross-tabulation analysis (indicators of dietary diversity, share of food expenditure, quintile ratio, and deviations in the consumption of micronutrient-dense products). The authors argue that formal caloric sufficiency does not guarantee a balanced diet: in some countries, high energy value of the diet is achieved by bread and potatoes, while there is significant underconsumption of meat, milk and vegetables. Four types of hidden vulnerability were identified – from a persistent monotonous diet with a critically high share of food expenditure to “structural inertia”, combining excessive meat consumption with a deficit of vegetables. 36.8% of the region’s population (approximately 84 million people) live in countries with a high share of food expenditure (>40%) and low dietary diversity, which form a “zone of critical vulnerability” – even moderate economic shocks can increase micronutrient deficiencies. The authors emphasize the role of eggs as an affordable source of high-quality animal protein in countries with low consumption of meat and milk. The concept of hidden food vulnerability and the proposed typology provide an empirical basis for monitoring social consequences of economic reforms and coordinating policy measures within the EAEU and CIS.

Keywords

Food security, consumption patterns, economic accessibility, hidden vulnerability, rational nutrition, social differentiation, inequality, CIS.  

About the authors

Sergey V. Mitrofanov, PhD (Agriculture), Head of the Department of Economics of Innovation in Agriculture, Institute of Agrarian Research, National Research University Higher School of Economics. Pokrovsky Bl., 11, Moscow, 109028, Russia.
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Renata G. Yanbykh, DSc (Economics), Head of the Department of Agrarian Policy, Institute of Agrarian Research, National Research University Higher School of Economics. Pokrovsky Bl., 11, Moscow, 109028, Russia.
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Nadezhda V. Orlova, Head of the Institute of Agrarian Research, National Research University Higher School of Economics. Pokrovsky Bl., 11, Moscow, 109028, Russia.
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2026. Vol.11. №3.

Regional differentiation of food security in Russia

Oct 21 2026

Shagaida N. I., Ternovsky D. S., Elanskaya A. A., Shishkina E. A. Regional differentiation of food security in Russia // The Russian Peasant Studies. 2026. V.11. №3. P. 88-114.

EDN: QRIFDW

Annotation

The authors applied an integral index to assess regional food security. Unlike conventional methods using multiple self-sufficiency indicators, the proposed integral index consists of five functional blocks, emphasizing economic food accessibility as the core component. The weights of blocks and their respective indicators were validated through expert assessments. The study is based on the official statistical data and microdata from the Federal State Statistics Service’s Household Budget Surveys (20182023): according to the annual dynamics of the integral index, regions were divided into groups. The core of the leading group consists of the North Caucasus republics, southern regions, and Central Black-Earth Region — their position is determined not only by production volumes but also by the development of small-scale farming, which provides population with diverse and affordable food products. On the contrary, the lagging group (Northern and Far Eastern regions) is characterized by risks of physical unavailability and infrastructural isolation. The dynamic analysis of the index revealed a predominantly positive trend, with 42 regions showing an increase of more than 1 point. However, there is also growing regional polarization as the interregional gap between the highest- and lowest-ranking regions increased by 28%. The study identified dietary imbalance as an interregional phenomenon with few exceptions and no direct correlation with the region’s self-sufficiency or income. The authors argue that there is a need for a transition to differentiated territorial support mechanisms that take the unique vulnerability profiles of each region into account.

Keywords

Regional differentiation, food security, integral index, economic accessibility, balanced nutrition, agricultural exports, food system resilience.  

About the authors

Natalia I. Shagaida, DSc (Economics), Head of the Center for Agrifood Policy, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration. Vernadskogo Prosp., 82, Moscow, 119571, Russia.
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Denis S. Ternovsky, DSc (Economics), Leading Researcher, Center for Agrifood Policy, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration. Vernadskogo Prosp., 82, Moscow, 119571, Russia.
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Alexandra A. Elanskaya, PhD (Geography), Researcher, Center for Agrifood Policy, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration. Vernadskogo Prosp., 82, Moscow, 119571, Russia.
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Ekaterina A. Shishkina, Researcher, Center for Agrifood Policy, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration. Vernadskogo Prosp., 82, Moscow, 119571, Russia. E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

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