H for Health
In the Western world, cheese consumption is remarkably high. As of 2022, the average European consumed 21 kilograms (approximately 46.3 pounds) of cheese annually. Notably, countries like Denmark, Iceland, Finland, and France exhibit particularly high cheese consumption rates. The USA and Canada follow closely, ranking second and third, with their inhabitants consuming 18 and 15 kilograms (about 40 and 33 pounds) of cheese per person per year, respectively. Denmark stands out, with an average consumption of nearly 30 kilograms (around 66 pounds) of cheese per inhabitant each year. This means the average Dane consumes roughly 80 grams (about 2.8 ounces) of cheese daily, quadruple the amount recommended by the official Danish dietary guidelines of 2022, which suggest a daily intake of 20 grams of cheese, equivalent to one slice of hard cheese.
Despite this, cheese is not a fundamental element of diets globally. In contrast, individuals in China, South America, and Africa consume, on average, less than 0.5 kilogram (approximately 1 pound) of cheese annually.