Low birth weight number in Australia
Australia: Low birth weight number was 19.4 in 2020. ▲ Rising
Latest (2020)
19.4
Change on year
down 2.5%
World rank
68th
of 157 countries
All-time high
20.9
in 2018
All-time low
15.4
in 2001
Years of data
21
2000–2020
Low birth weight number in Australia, 2000–2020
Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
Analysis
The most recent figure for low birth weight number in Australia is 19.4, measured in 2020.
The figure is down 2.5% on the previous year and up 1.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, low birth weight number in Australia peaked at 20.9 in 2018 and was at its lowest, 15.4, in 2001.
That places Australia 68th out of 157 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 21 years of available data.
Low birth weight number in Australia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 15.5 | — |
| 2001 | 15.4 | -0.6% |
| 2002 | 15.6 | +1.3% |
| 2003 | 15.7 | +0.6% |
| 2004 | 15.9 | +1.3% |
| 2005 | 16.5 | +3.8% |
| 2006 | 17 | +3.0% |
| 2007 | 18.2 | +7.1% |
| 2008 | 18.8 | +3.3% |
| 2009 | 18.9 | +0.5% |
| 2010 | 19.1 | +1.1% |
| 2011 | 19.2 | +0.5% |
| 2012 | 19.7 | +2.6% |
| 2013 | 19.7 | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 19.3 | -2.0% |
| 2015 | 19.7 | +2.1% |
| 2016 | 20 | +1.5% |
| 2017 | 20.2 | +1.0% |
| 2018 | 20.9 | +3.5% |
| 2019 | 19.9 | -4.8% |
| 2020 | 19.4 | -2.5% |
Australia compared with similar countries
- Australia's 19.4 is above the median for high income countries, which is 4.95, 3.9× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Australia's 19.4 is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 22, 88% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 16.75 | 15.4 | 18.9 | 10 |
| 2010s | 19.77 | 19.1 | 20.9 | 10 |
| 2020s | 19.4 | 19.4 | 19.4 | 1 |
Countries ranked near Australia
More health data for Australia
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.83 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.9072 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 906.6 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 215 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2021)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 1.45 % 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 0.0279 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 1.35 % 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 low birth weight number in Australia?
- Low birth weight number in Australia was 19.4 in 2020, according to World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
- What is the highest low birth weight number recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 20.9 in 2018.
- What is the lowest low birth weight number recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 15.4 in 2001.
- How does Australia rank for low birth weight number?
- Australia ranks 68th out of 157 countries with data for 2020.
- Is low birth weight number rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Australia data come from?
- The figures come from World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory, published as part of Low birth weight number (in thousands). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 21 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (WHO).