Low birth weight prevalence in New Zealand

New Zealand: Low birth weight prevalence was 5.9% in 2020. ▬ Flat

Latest (2020)
5.9%
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
136th
of 157 countries
All-time high
6.2%
in 2000
All-time low
5.9%
in 2016
Years of data
21
2000–2020

Low birth weight prevalence in New Zealand, 2000–2020

02462000201020202000: 6.22001: 6.22002: 6.12003: 6.12004: 6.12005: 6.12006: 6.12007: 6.12008: 6.12009: 6.12010: 6.12011: 62012: 62013: 62014: 62015: 62016: 5.92017: 5.92018: 5.92019: 5.92020: 5.9

Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.

Analysis

In 2020, low birth weight prevalence in New Zealand stood at 5.9%. That is the lowest value across all 21 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 3.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, low birth weight prevalence in New Zealand peaked at 6.2% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 5.9%, in 2016.

That places New Zealand 136th out of 157 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the bottom quarter.

Low birth weight prevalence in New Zealand, year by year

Annual values for Low birth weight prevalence (%) in New Zealand, 2000 to 2020.
Year Value Change
2000 6.2%
2001 6.2% +0.0%
2002 6.1% -1.6%
2003 6.1% +0.0%
2004 6.1% +0.0%
2005 6.1% +0.0%
2006 6.1% +0.0%
2007 6.1% +0.0%
2008 6.1% +0.0%
2009 6.1% +0.0%
2010 6.1% +0.0%
2011 6.0% -1.6%
2012 6.0% +0.0%
2013 6.0% +0.0%
2014 6.0% +0.0%
2015 6.0% +0.0%
2016 5.9% -1.7%
2017 5.9% +0.0%
2018 5.9% +0.0%
2019 5.9% +0.0%
2020 5.9% +0.0%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 6.1% 6.1% 6.2% 10
2010s 6.0% 5.9% 6.1% 10
2020s 5.9% 5.9% 5.9% 1

Countries ranked near New Zealand

  1. 134 Kyrgyzstan 6.0% compare
  2. 134 Albania 6.0% compare
  3. 137 Uzbekistan 5.8% compare
  4. 138 Netherlands 5.7% compare
  5. 138 Ukraine 5.7% compare

See the full ranking of 208 places →

More health data for New Zealand

All data for New Zealand →

Frequently asked questions

What is low birth weight prevalence in New Zealand?
Low birth weight prevalence in New Zealand was 5.9% in 2020, according to World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
What is the highest low birth weight prevalence recorded in New Zealand?
The highest recorded value was 6.2% in 2000.
What is the lowest low birth weight prevalence recorded in New Zealand?
The lowest recorded value was 5.9% in 2016.
How does New Zealand rank for low birth weight prevalence?
New Zealand ranks 136th out of 157 countries with data for 2020.
Is low birth weight prevalence rising or falling in New Zealand?
Over the last ten years it is down 3.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
Where does this New Zealand data come from?
The figures come from World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory, published as part of Low birth weight prevalence (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Low birth weight prevalence in New Zealand. Statizoid, drawing on World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory. Retrieved 31 August 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/low-birth-weight-prevalence-percent/new-zealand/

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About this data

Indicator
Low birth weight prevalence (%)
Source
World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory
Licence
CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (WHO)
Coverage
208 places, 4,368 data points, 2000–2020
Last refreshed