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wateroflife.supply/follow-the-money
Industry revenue data from 5 countries · 40+ authoritative sources · No editorial
What governments, industry bodies, and multilateral organizations report.
| Lens | Source | Figure | Scope | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | USDA Economic Research Service | $2.12T | Total US food spending (2023) | Govt |
| US | National Restaurant Association | $1.1T | US restaurant industry (2024) | Industry |
| US | USDA ERS Food Dollar Series | 7.4¢ | Farm share per food dollar (2022) | Govt |
| EU | FoodDrinkEurope | €1.5T | EU food & drink mfg turnover (2026 ed.) | Industry |
| EU | Eurostat | €1,035B | EU household food spending (2021) | Govt |
| UK | ONS / DEFRA | £230-250B | UK consumer food spending | Govt |
| UK | UKHospitality | £140-150B | UK hospitality sector revenue | Industry |
| UK | Food and Drink Federation | £104-112B | UK food & drink mfg turnover | Industry |
| SG | Singapore Food Agency | SGD 36.8B | SG food imports — 90%+ imported (2022) | Govt |
| SG | SingStat | SGD 12B | SG F&B services annual revenue | Govt |
| Global | FAO / Euromonitor | $8-10T | Global food & beverage market | Multilateral |
Prescription drugs, over-the-counter, and healthcare spending.
| Lens | Source | Figure | Scope | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | PhRMA / CMS | $600B gross | US pharma revenue before rebates | Industry |
| US | CMS National Health Expenditure | $405B net | US Rx drug spending after rebates | Govt |
| EU | EFPIA | €1,414B | World Rx market, ex-factory (2024) | Industry |
| EU | EFPIA | €390B | EU pharma production value (2023) | Industry |
| EU | EFPIA | €55B | R&D investment in Europe (2024) | Industry |
| UK | NHS England | £18-21B | NHS pharma spending, England (2023) | Govt |
| UK | Office for Life Sciences | £40-45B | UK pharma sector total turnover | Govt |
| SG | EDB | SGD 32B+ | SG biomedical sciences output (2024) | Govt |
| SG | MOH | SGD 18.5B | SG government health expenditure (FY2025) | Govt |
| Global | IQVIA | $1.48-1.55T | Global Rx drug market (2023) | Research |
| Global | OECD Health at a Glance | $614/capita | OECD average pharma expenditure | Multilateral |
Weight loss programs, dietary supplements, gyms, and fitness services.
| Lens | Source | Figure | Scope | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | Marketdata Enterprises | $75-90B | US weight loss & diet control | Research |
| US | Nutrition Business Journal / CRN | $55-60B | US dietary supplements | Industry |
| US | Health & Fitness Association | $35-40B | US fitness clubs & gyms | Industry |
| EU | EuropeActive / Deloitte | €36B | European fitness market (2024) | Industry |
| EU | EuropeActive | 71.6M members | European fitness memberships (2024) | Industry |
| UK | ukactive / HFMA / Mintel | £10-14B | UK fitness + supplements + weight mgmt | Industry |
| SG | Industry estimates | $561M | SG dietary supplements (2024) | Research |
| SG | Industry estimates | $146M | SG fitness clubs (2024) | Research |
| SG | SportSG NSPS | 74% | SG weekly sport participation (2022) | Govt |
| Global | Combined (narrow definition) | $470-570B | Global diet + supplement + fitness | Research |
The data that connects food industry revenue to healthcare spending. From the sources.
Hidden health costs of global agrifood systems.
FAO — The State of Food and Agriculture 2023: "Revealing the true cost of food"
Deaths from dietary risk factors. #1 cause of death globally — surpasses tobacco.
Global Burden of Disease / The Lancet, 2019 — "Health effects of dietary risks in 195 countries"
Global economic impact of obesity alone. On par with armed conflict.
McKinsey Global Institute (2014) + World Bank (2020)
Projected global NCD economic losses over 20 years (~$2.4T/year).
World Economic Forum / Harvard School of Public Health (2011), cited by WHO
US healthcare spending going to chronic disease, much of it diet-related.
CDC — National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention (2023)
US cost of conditions where diet is a primary contributing factor (obesity, T2D, CVD, cancers).
Milken Institute — "The Costs of Chronic Disease in the US" (2023)
US cardiovascular disease costs (direct + indirect). Diet is the #1 modifiable risk factor.
American Heart Association — Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics (2024)
US diabetes total economic cost.
American Diabetes Association (2022), cited by CDC
EU cardiovascular disease total annual cost. Exceeds the entire annual EU budget.
European Heart Journal, Vol. 44 (2023) — Luengo-Fernandez et al., University of Oxford
Economic burden of overweight in Europe. Reduces GDP by 3.3%.
OECD — "The Heavy Burden of Obesity" (2019)
Total EU spending on non-communicable diseases.
European Commission — Health Promotion Knowledge Gateway
Diet-related disease costs to the NHS. 15-18% of total NHS budget. For every £12-14 spent on food, £1 goes to NHS treating diet-related disease.
National Food Strategy (Henry Dimbleby, commissioned by DEFRA, 2021)
Cost of dietary risks in Singapore (healthcare + productivity losses).
BMC Public Health (2023) — "The Societal Cost of Modifiable Risk Factors in Singapore"
Annual diabetes management cost. Prevalence: 8.5% of adults.
Singapore MOH — War on Diabetes initiative (2016-present)
All numbers from the sources above.
Disease cost: FAO SOFA 2023. Industry revenues: composite from 40+ sources across 5 lenses.
USDA ERS Food Expenditure Series. Green = food at home. Red = food away from home.
The crossover happened in 2014-2015. Americans now spend more on food away from home than at home. USDA research shows food away from home is higher in calories, saturated fat, and sodium per eating occasion.
Source: USDA Economic Research Service — Food Expenditure Series (1960-2023)
Every figure on this page comes from a named government body, industry association, multilateral organization, or peer-reviewed publication. No figures from anonymous market research or AI-generated estimates. Each number is tagged with its source type: Govt Industry Research Multilateral
Data from five independent perspectives: US government + industry bodies, EU institutions + industry associations, UK government (NHS, DEFRA, ONS), Singapore government (SFA, EDB, MOH, HPB), and global multilateral organizations (FAO, WHO, OECD, IQVIA). When lenses agree, the number is strong. When they disagree, the range is shown.
The same industry measured by different bodies produces different numbers because of scope (what is included), methodology (survey vs census vs model), geography (one country vs global), and timing (different reporting years). This is normal. Ranges reflect reality better than false precision.
Figures labeled "worldwide" aggregate data across all countries. Global food market ($8-10T) uses FAO + Euromonitor estimates. Global pharma ($1.5T) uses IQVIA at ex-manufacturer prices. Global diet/fitness ($500B+) composites Marketdata, NBJ, IHRSA/HFA, and EuropeActive data.
Most figures are from 2022-2024 data. Government sources typically lag 12-24 months. All dates shown are publication/data year, not access date. This page was compiled April 2026.
This page presents data. It does not claim causation. It does not recommend medical action. It does not advise for or against any product, diet, or treatment. If you need medical advice, see a qualified healthcare professional.