It is true about most numbers. However, if you read the reports, like from the USG, you can usually get a sense of the trend. Yes you might have to chart it based upon seasonally adjusted (or non) numbers since they often flip flop them in the headline. For the most part, one number doesnt matter but the trend.

As for overpopulation, it was the belief 10 years ago. YouTube is full of doomsdayers who were proclaiming we are all going to starve. That might be true but not due to overpopulation but the fact the major food producer just went to war with another and the West decided they dont want anything from there.