Percentage of thinness among children aged 5-19 years, BMI < -2 in West and Central Africa (UNICEF Prog.regions)

West and Central Africa (UNICEF Prog.regions): Percentage of thinness among children aged 5-19 years, BMI < -2 was 10.54 in 2022. ▼ Falling

Latest (2022)
10.54
Change on year
up 0.4%
Rank
27th
of 156 groups
All-time high
11.63
in 2000
All-time low
10.15
in 2013
Years of data
23
2000–2022

Percentage of thinness among children aged 5-19 years, BMI < -2 in West and Central Africa (UNICEF Prog.regions), 2000–2022

02.557.51012.52000201120222000: 11.62001: 11.42002: 11.22003: 11.12004: 10.92005: 10.82006: 10.62007: 10.52008: 10.42009: 10.32010: 10.22011: 10.22012: 10.22013: 10.12014: 10.22015: 10.22016: 10.22017: 10.32018: 10.32019: 10.42020: 10.42021: 10.52022: 10.5

Source: UNICEF.

Analysis

The most recent figure for percentage of thinness among children aged 5-19 years, bmi < -2 in West and Central Africa (UNICEF Prog.regions) is 10.54, measured in 2022.

The figure is up 0.4% on the previous year and up 3.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, percentage of thinness among children aged 5-19 years, bmi < -2 in West and Central Africa (UNICEF Prog.regions) peaked at 11.63 in 2000 and was at its lowest, 10.15, in 2013.

West and Central Africa (UNICEF Prog.regions) ranks 27th of 156 groups on this measure, in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 23 years of available data.

Percentage of thinness among children aged 5-19 years, BMI < -2 in West and Central Africa (UNICEF Prog.regions), year by year

Annual values for Percentage of thinness among children aged 5-19 years, BMI < -2 standard deviations below the median (crude estimate) in West and Central Africa (UNICEF Prog.regions), 2000 to 2022.
Year Value Change
2000 11.63
2001 11.44 -1.6%
2002 11.23 -1.8%
2003 11.1 -1.2%
2004 10.89 -1.8%
2005 10.76 -1.2%
2006 10.61 -1.3%
2007 10.47 -1.4%
2008 10.38 -0.8%
2009 10.3 -0.8%
2010 10.23 -0.7%
2011 10.19 -0.4%
2012 10.15 -0.4%
2013 10.15 -0.1%
2014 10.16 +0.2%
2015 10.17 +0.0%
2016 10.19 +0.2%
2017 10.27 +0.8%
2018 10.31 +0.4%
2019 10.36 +0.5%
2020 10.44 +0.8%
2021 10.5 +0.6%
2022 10.54 +0.4%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 10.88 10.3 11.63 10
2010s 10.22 10.15 10.36 10
2020s 10.5 10.44 10.54 3

Countries ranked near West and Central Africa (UNICEF Prog.regions)

  1. 24 Namibia 9.57 compare
  2. 25 Botswana 9.48 compare
  3. 26 Saudi Arabia 9.34 compare
  4. 27 Trinidad and Tobago 9.33 compare
  5. 28 Korea, Democratic People&#x27;s Republic of 9.2 compare
  6. 29 Cape Verde 9.19 compare
  7. 30 Mauritius 9.16 compare

See the full ranking of 349 places →

More health data for West and Central Africa (UNICEF Prog.regions)

All data for West and Central Africa (UNICEF Prog.regions) →

Frequently asked questions

What is percentage of thinness among children aged 5-19 years, bmi < -2 in West and Central Africa (UNICEF Prog.regions)?
Percentage of thinness among children aged 5-19 years, bmi < -2 in West and Central Africa (UNICEF Prog.regions) was 10.54 in 2022, according to UNICEF.
What is the highest percentage of thinness among children aged 5-19 years, bmi < -2 recorded in West and Central Africa (UNICEF Prog.regions)?
The highest recorded value was 11.63 in 2000.
What is the lowest percentage of thinness among children aged 5-19 years, bmi < -2 recorded in West and Central Africa (UNICEF Prog.regions)?
The lowest recorded value was 10.15 in 2013.
How does West and Central Africa (UNICEF Prog.regions) rank for percentage of thinness among children aged 5-19 years, bmi < -2?
West and Central Africa (UNICEF Prog.regions) ranks 27th out of 156 groups with data for 2022.
Is percentage of thinness among children aged 5-19 years, bmi < -2 rising or falling in West and Central Africa (UNICEF Prog.regions)?
Over the last ten years it is up 3.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this West and Central Africa (UNICEF Prog.regions) data come from?
The figures come from UNICEF, published as part of Percentage of thinness among children aged 5-19 years, BMI < -2 standard deviations below the median (crude estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Percentage of thinness among children aged 5-19 years, BMI < -2 in West and Central Africa (UNICEF Prog.regions). Statizoid, drawing on UNICEF. Retrieved 17 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/percentage-of-thinness-among-children-aged-5-19-years-bmi-2-standard-deviations-below-the/west-and-central-africa-unicef-prog-regions/

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About this data

Indicator
Percentage of thinness among children aged 5-19 years, BMI < -2 standard deviations below the median (crude estimate)
Source
UNICEF
Licence
UNICEF Terms of Use (attribution required)
Coverage
349 places, 9,957 data points, 1990–2022
Last refreshed