This Analysis presents a recently developed food system indicator framework and holistic monitoring architecture to track food system transformation towards global development, health and sustainability goals.

Food systems must go through a fundamental transformation if they are to become environmentally sustainable, generate nutritional benefits and improve economic equity.

Food prices spiked sharply in 2007–2008, in 2010–2011 and again in 2021–2022.

Animal-source foods (ASF) provide nutrition for children and adolescents’ physical and cognitive development.

Injustices are prevalent in food systems, where the accumulation of vast wealth is possible for a few, yet one in ten people remain hungry.

Adequate supplies of healthy foods available in each country are a necessary but not sufficient condition for adequate intake by each individual.

The anticipated failure of many countries to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030 necessitates the assessment of science–policy engagement mechanisms for food systems transformation.

Unaffordability of healthy diets affected 3 billion people before the COVID-19 pandemic, 2.5 billion of whom lived in 63 low- and middle-income countries.

The economic crisis and food and health system disruptions related to the COVID-19 pandemic threaten to exacerbate undernutrition in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).