Infants exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life in Ghana
Ghana: Infants exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life was 42.9% in 2017. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2017)
42.9%
Change on year
down 17.6%
World rank
35th
of 61 countries
All-time high
62.1%
in 2008
All-time low
2.2%
in 1988
Years of data
9
1988–2017
Infants exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life in Ghana, 1988–2017
Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
Analysis
In 2017, infants exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life in Ghana stood at 42.9%.
That represents a change of down 17.6% on the previous year and down 21.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, infants exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life in Ghana peaked at 62.1% in 2008 and was at its lowest, 2.2%, in 1988.
That places Ghana 35th out of 61 countries with data for 2017, putting it in the middle of the range.
Infants exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life in Ghana, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1988 | 2.2% | — |
| 1993 | 7.4% | +236.4% |
| 1998 | 31.5% | +325.7% |
| 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% |
| 2017 | 42.9% | -17.6% |
Ghana compared with similar countries
- Ghana's 42.9% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 49.5%, 87% of the median. (27 countries reporting)
- Ghana's 42.9% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 53.6%, 80% of the median. (33 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 2.2% | 2.2% | 2.2% | 1 |
| 1990s | 19.4% | 7.4% | 31.5% | 2 |
| 2000s | 56.7% | 53.0% | 62.1% | 3 |
| 2010s | 46.9% | 42.9% | 52.1% | 3 |
Countries ranked near Ghana
- 32 Uzbekistan 49.5% compare
- 33 El Salvador 46.7% compare
- 34 Kyrgyzstan 45.6% compare
- 36 Zimbabwe 41.9% compare
- 37 Benin 41.4% compare
- 38 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)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 2 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 0.5623 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.06 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 0.5816 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is infants exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life in Ghana?
- Infants exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life in Ghana was 42.9% in 2017, according to World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
- What is the highest infants exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life recorded in Ghana?
- The highest recorded value was 62.1% in 2008.
- What is the lowest infants exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life recorded in Ghana?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.2% in 1988.
- How does Ghana rank for infants exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life?
- Ghana ranks 35th out of 61 countries with data for 2017.
- Is infants exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life rising or falling in Ghana?
- Over the last ten years it is down 21.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Ghana data come from?
- The figures come from World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory, published as part of Infants exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 9 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (WHO).