Children aged <5 years wasted for age in China

China: Children aged <5 years wasted for age was 2.3% in 2010. ▼ Falling

Latest (2010)
2.3%
Change on year
down 25.8%
World rank
62nd
of 77 countries
All-time high
5.0%
in 1995
All-time low
2.3%
in 2010
Years of data
11
1987–2010

Children aged <5 years wasted for age in China, 1987–2010

0123451987199820101987: 4.81990: 4.21992: 3.91995: 51998: 2.42000: 2.52002: 32005: 2.92008: 3.12009: 3.12010: 2.3

Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.

Analysis

The most recent figure for children aged <5 years wasted for age in China is 2.3%, measured in 2010. That is the lowest value across all 11 years on record.

The figure is down 25.8% on the previous year and down 8.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, children aged <5 years wasted for age in China peaked at 5.0% in 1995 and was at its lowest, 2.3%, in 2010.

That places China 62nd out of 77 countries with data for 2010, putting it in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 11 years of available data.

Children aged <5 years wasted for age in China, year by year

Annual values for Children aged <5 years wasted for age (%) in China, 1987 to 2010.
Year Value Change
1987 4.8%
1990 4.2% -12.5%
1992 3.9% -7.1%
1995 5.0% +28.2%
1998 2.4% -52.0%
2000 2.5% +4.2%
2002 3.0% +20.0%
2005 2.9% -3.3%
2008 3.1% +6.9%
2009 3.1% +0.0%
2010 2.3% -25.8%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 4.8% 4.8% 4.8% 1
1990s 3.9% 2.4% 5.0% 4
2000s 2.9% 2.5% 3.1% 5
2010s 2.3% 2.3% 2.3% 1

Countries ranked near China

  1. 59 Dominican Republic 2.4% compare
  2. 59 Kuwait 2.4% compare
  3. 59 Jordan 2.4% compare
  4. 62 Morocco 2.3% compare
  5. 64 El Salvador 2.0% compare
  6. 64 Eswatini 2.0% compare

See the full ranking of 77 places →

More health data for China

All data for China →

Frequently asked questions

What is children aged <5 years wasted for age in China?
Children aged <5 years wasted for age in China was 2.3% in 2010, according to World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
What is the highest children aged <5 years wasted for age recorded in China?
The highest recorded value was 5.0% in 1995.
What is the lowest children aged <5 years wasted for age recorded in China?
The lowest recorded value was 2.3% in 2010.
How does China rank for children aged <5 years wasted for age?
China ranks 62nd out of 77 countries with data for 2010.
Is children aged <5 years wasted for age rising or falling in China?
Over the last ten years it is down 8.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this China data come from?
The figures come from World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory, published as part of Children aged <5 years wasted for age (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Children aged <5 years wasted for age in China. Statizoid, drawing on World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory. Retrieved 27 August 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/children-aged-5-years-wasted-for-age-percent/china/

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About this data

Indicator
Children aged <5 years wasted for age (%)
Source
World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory
Licence
CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (WHO)
Coverage
77 places, 594 data points, 1966–2015
Last refreshed