Which has higher prevalence of underweight, weight for age, India or South Asia?

India, at 31.5% against 25.2% in South Asia as of 2020.

How many years of comparable data are there for India and South Asia?

5 years are reported by both, from 2006 to 2020.

Where does this data come from?

UNICEF, WHO, World Bank: Joint child Malnutrition Estimates (JME). Aggregation is based on UNICEF, WHO, and the World Bank harmonized dataset (adjusted, comparable data) and methodology., UN Children', published as Prevalence of underweight, weight for age (% of children under 5). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

India vs South Asia: Prevalence of underweight, weight for age

India

31.5%

in 2020

South Asia

25.2%

in 2024

India rank

4th

South Asia rank

1st

Prevalence of underweight, weight for age over time

India
South Asia

How they compare

India currently reports 31.5% against 25.2% in South Asia, a difference of 6.3%.

That makes India's figure about 1.2 times South Asia's.

The two have swapped places 2 times across 5 shared years of data; in 2006 it was India ahead.

India ranks 4th and South Asia ranks 1st of 96 countries.

India has averaged higher in every one of the 3 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade	India	South Asia	Difference	Ahead
2000s	43.5%	39.4%	4.1%	India
2010s	33.2%	31.7%	1.5%	India
2020s	31.5%	28.1%	3.4%	India

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher prevalence of underweight, weight for age, India or South Asia?: India, at 31.5% against 25.2% in South Asia as of 2020.
What is the difference in prevalence of underweight, weight for age between India and South Asia?: 6.3%, with India ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for India and South Asia?: 5 years are reported by both, from 2006 to 2020.
How do India and South Asia rank globally for prevalence of underweight, weight for age?: India ranks 4th and South Asia ranks 1st of 96 countries.
Where does this data come from?: UNICEF, WHO, World Bank: Joint child Malnutrition Estimates (JME). Aggregation is based on UNICEF, WHO, and the World Bank harmonized dataset (adjusted, comparable data) and methodology., UN Children', published as Prevalence of underweight, weight for age (% of children under 5). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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India vs South Asia: Prevalence of underweight, weight for age. Statizoid, drawing on UNICEF, WHO, World Bank: Joint child Malnutrition Estimates (JME). Aggregation is based on UNICEF, WHO, and the World Bank harmonized dataset (adjusted, comparable data) and methodology., UN Children'. Retrieved 17 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/compare/prevalence-of-underweight-weight-for-age-percent-of-children-under-5/india/south-asia/

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<a href="https://health.statizoid.com/compare/prevalence-of-underweight-weight-for-age-percent-of-children-under-5/india/south-asia/">India vs South Asia: Prevalence of underweight, weight for age</a> — Statizoid

About this data

Indicator: Prevalence of underweight, weight for age (% of children under 5)
Unit: % of children under 5
Source: UNICEF, WHO, World Bank: Joint child Malnutrition Estimates (JME). Aggregation is based on UNICEF, WHO, and the World Bank harmonized dataset (adjusted, comparable data) and methodology., UN Children'
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage: 110 places, 1,307 data points, 1984–2024
Last refreshed: 17 September 2026

Prevalence of underweight children is the percentage of children under age 5 whose weight for age is more than two standard deviations below the median for the international reference population ages 0-59 months. The data are based on the WHO's 2006 Child Growth Standards.