Children aged <5 years wasted for age in India

India: Children aged <5 years wasted for age was 20.0% in 2006. ▬ Flat

Latest (2006)
20.0%
World rank
3rd
of 77 countries
All-time high
21.3%
in 1990
All-time low
19.3%
in 1997
Years of data
7
1979–2006

Children aged <5 years wasted for age in India, 1979–2006

051015201979199220061979: 20.31990: 21.31992: 211993: 21.11997: 19.31999: 19.82006: 20

Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.

Analysis

In 2006, children aged <5 years wasted for age in India stood at 20.0%.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 3.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, children aged <5 years wasted for age in India peaked at 21.3% in 1990 and was at its lowest, 19.3%, in 1997.

That places India 3rd out of 77 countries with data for 2006, putting it in the top 10%.

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

Annual values for Children aged <5 years wasted for age (%) in India, 1979 to 2006.
Year Value Change
1979 20.3%
1990 21.3% +4.9%
1992 21.0% -1.4%
1993 21.1% +0.5%
1997 19.3% -8.5%
1999 19.8% +2.6%
2006 20.0% +1.0%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 20.3% 20.3% 20.3% 1
1990s 20.5% 19.3% 21.3% 5
2000s 20.0% 20.0% 20.0% 1

Countries ranked near India

  1. 1 Djibouti 21.5% compare
  2. 2 Sri Lanka 21.4% compare
  3. 4 Niger 18.7% compare
  4. 5 Sudan 16.3% compare
  5. 6 Yemen 16.2% compare

See the full ranking of 77 places →

More health data for India

All data for India →

Frequently asked questions

What is children aged <5 years wasted for age in India?
Children aged <5 years wasted for age in India was 20.0% in 2006, according to World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
What is the highest children aged <5 years wasted for age recorded in India?
The highest recorded value was 21.3% in 1990.
What is the lowest children aged <5 years wasted for age recorded in India?
The lowest recorded value was 19.3% in 1997.
How does India rank for children aged <5 years wasted for age?
India ranks 3rd out of 77 countries with data for 2006.
Is children aged <5 years wasted for age rising or falling in India?
Over the last ten years it is up 3.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
Where does this India 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 India. Statizoid, drawing on World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory. Retrieved 26 August 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/children-aged-5-years-wasted-for-age-percent/india/

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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