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People the world over are changing their consumption behaviour to cope with increases in food and energy costs, a new international poll has found.

A BBC World Service survey among 26 nations showed nearly two-thirds (60 per cent) of respondents shared the same view that rising costs of food, fuel and electricity had affected them and their families "a great deal".

The poll suggested rising food prices were leading to changes in |people's behaviour, particularly in poorer countries. Many in the developing world said they were cutting back on what they ate because of the higher cost of food, with 63 per cent in the Philippines and Panama, 61 per cent in Kenya and 58 per cent in Nigeria saying they were now eating less.

In developed countries like Australia (27 per cent), the UK (25 per cent) and Germany (10 per |cent), far fewer said the rise in food prices had caused them to cut back |on what they ate. In general, those |in developed countries have also |not changed what they eat in res-ponse to higher prices - notably, |only 17 per cent in Spain, 19 per |cent in Poland and 24 per cent in Germany said they had changed their diets.

The poll also showed 70 per cent of people across the world are unhappy with what their national governments were doing to keep food prices affordable.

Respondents were asked how much the rises in the cost of energy, including petrol, had negatively affected them and their families. Overall, 60 per cent said increased energy costs were affecting them and their families "a great deal", and again those in developing economies seemed to be feeling the effects the most.

Majorities in several developed countries also said they had been affected "a great deal": 61 per cent in Italy, 59 per cent in France and 58 per cent in the US.

Majorities in each of the 26 countries included in the poll, except China, said they had been negatively affected by rising food and energy prices "a great deal" or "a fair amount".

There was considerable variation between countries in terms of how much people had changed their behaviour in response to rising food prices. In developed nations, most had neither changed what they ate nor started eating less overall. Among developing nations, majorities in Panama (71 per cent), Egypt (67 per cent), Kenya (64 per cent), the Philippines (63 per cent) and Mexico (57 per cent) said they had changed what they ate. In other developing nations, however, most said they had not changed their diet: (Turkey (75 per cent), the UAE (62 per cent), China (61 per cent) and Lebanon (58 per cent).)