Prevalence of anemia among children in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa: Prevalence of anemia among children was 60.5% in 2019. ▼ Falling
Prevalence of anemia among children in Sub-Saharan Africa, 2000–2019
Source: Global Health Observatory Data Repository/World Health Statistics, World Health Organization (WHO). Measured in % of children ages 6-59 months.
Analysis
In 2019, prevalence of anemia among children in Sub-Saharan Africa stood at 60.5%. That is the lowest value across all 20 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.6% on the previous year and down 5.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of anemia among children in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 71.6% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 60.5%, in 2019.
That places Sub-Saharan Africa 4th out of 46 groups with data for 2019, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 20 years of available data.
Prevalence of anemia among children in Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | % of children ages 6-59 months | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 71.6% | — |
| 2001 | 70.7% | -1.2% |
| 2002 | 69.9% | -1.2% |
| 2003 | 69.0% | -1.2% |
| 2004 | 68.1% | -1.3% |
| 2005 | 67.2% | -1.3% |
| 2006 | 66.4% | -1.3% |
| 2007 | 65.5% | -1.3% |
| 2008 | 64.6% | -1.4% |
| 2009 | 63.8% | -1.2% |
| 2010 | 63.1% | -1.1% |
| 2011 | 62.5% | -0.8% |
| 2012 | 62.2% | -0.6% |
| 2013 | 62.0% | -0.3% |
| 2014 | 61.8% | -0.3% |
| 2015 | 61.7% | -0.2% |
| 2016 | 61.5% | -0.3% |
| 2017 | 61.3% | -0.4% |
| 2018 | 60.9% | -0.6% |
| 2019 | 60.5% | -0.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 67.7% | 63.8% | 71.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 61.7% | 60.5% | 63.1% | 10 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa
- 1 Yemen 79.5% compare
- 2 Mali 79.0% compare
- 3 Burkina Faso 76.6% compare
- 4 Guinea 73.8% compare
- 5 Central African Republic 73.6% compare
- 6 Sierra Leone 73.4% compare
- 7 Togo 72.4% compare
More health data for Sub-Saharan Africa
- Population ages 15-64, male, annual growth rate 3.04 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, total, per unit of GDP 0.0002 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, total, per capita 0.4038 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 15-64, female, annual growth rate 2.96 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 15-64, female, per unit of GDP 0.0002 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 15-64, female, per capita 0.2837 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 15-64, male, per unit of GDP 0.0002 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 15-64, total, annual growth rate 3 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 15-64, male, per capita 0.2801 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 45-49, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is prevalence of anemia among children in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Prevalence of anemia among children in Sub-Saharan Africa was 60.5% in 2019, according to Global Health Observatory Data Repository/World Health Statistics, World Health Organization (WHO).
- What is the highest prevalence of anemia among children recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 71.6% in 2000.
- What is the lowest prevalence of anemia among children recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 60.5% in 2019.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for prevalence of anemia among children?
- Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 4th out of 46 groups with data for 2019.
- Is prevalence of anemia among children rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 5.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Global Health Observatory Data Repository/World Health Statistics, World Health Organization (WHO), published as part of Prevalence of anemia among children (% of children ages 6-59 months). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Prevalence of anemia, children ages 6-59 months, is the percentage of children ages 6-59 months whose hemoglobin level is less than 110 grams per liter, adjusted for altitude.