Exclusive breastfeeding in Ghana
Ghana: Exclusive breastfeeding was 42.9% in 2018. ◆ Volatile
Exclusive breastfeeding in Ghana, 1988–2018
Source: State of the World's Children, UN Children's Fund (UNICEF). Measured in % of children under 6 months.
Analysis
In 2018, exclusive breastfeeding in Ghana stood at 42.9%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 30.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, exclusive breastfeeding in Ghana peaked at 62.1% in 2008 and was at its lowest, 2.2%, in 1988.
That places Ghana 37th out of 72 countries with data for 2018, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Exclusive breastfeeding in Ghana, year by year
| Year | % of children under 6 months | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1988 | 2.2% | — |
| 1994 | 7.4% | +236.4% |
| 1998 | 31.0% | +318.9% |
| 1999 | 31.5% | +1.6% |
| 2003 | 53.0% | +68.1% |
| 2006 | 54.9% | +3.7% |
| 2008 | 62.1% | +13.0% |
| 2011 | 45.7% | -26.5% |
| 2014 | 52.1% | +14.1% |
| 2018 | 42.9% | -17.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 2.2% | 2.2% | 2.2% | 1 |
| 1990s | 23.3% | 7.4% | 31.5% | 3 |
| 2000s | 56.7% | 53.0% | 62.1% | 3 |
| 2010s | 46.9% | 42.9% | 52.1% | 3 |
Countries ranked near Ghana
- 34 Pakistan 47.8% compare
- 35 El Salvador 46.7% compare
- 36 Kyrgyzstan 45.6% compare
- 38 Zimbabwe 41.9% compare
- 39 Benin 41.4% compare
- 40 Mozambique 41.0% compare
More health data for Ghana
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.37 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.6224 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 986.1 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 8,361 deaths (2100)
- Population ages 15-19, male, annual growth rate 1.84 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 15-19, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 15-19, male, per capita 0.0513 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 20-24, female, annual growth rate 2.23 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 20-24, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 20-24, female, per capita 0.0451 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is exclusive breastfeeding in Ghana?
- Exclusive breastfeeding in Ghana was 42.9% in 2018, according to State of the World's Children, UN Children's Fund (UNICEF).
- What is the highest exclusive breastfeeding recorded in Ghana?
- The highest recorded value was 62.1% in 2008.
- What is the lowest exclusive breastfeeding recorded in Ghana?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.2% in 1988.
- How does Ghana rank for exclusive breastfeeding?
- Ghana ranks 37th out of 72 countries with data for 2018.
- Is exclusive breastfeeding rising or falling in Ghana?
- Over the last ten years it is down 30.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Ghana data come from?
- The figures come from State of the World's Children, UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), published as part of Exclusive breastfeeding (% of children under 6 months). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 10 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Exclusive breastfeeding refers to the percentage of children less than six months old who are fed breast milk alone (no other liquids) in the past 24 hours.