Prevalence of low birth weight among new-borns in Africa (UNSDG)
Africa (UNSDG): Prevalence of low birth weight among new-borns was 13.89 in 2020. ▼ Falling
Prevalence of low birth weight among new-borns in Africa (UNSDG), 2000–2020
Source: UNICEF.
Analysis
Africa (UNSDG) recorded 13.89 for prevalence of low birth weight among new-borns in 2020. That is the lowest value across all 21 years on record.
The figure is down 0.4% on the previous year and down 5.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of low birth weight among new-borns in Africa (UNSDG) peaked at 15.47 in 2000 and was at its lowest, 13.89, in 2020.
That places Africa (UNSDG) 62nd out of 156 groups with data for 2020, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 21 years of available data.
Prevalence of low birth weight among new-borns in Africa (UNSDG), year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 15.47 | — |
| 2001 | 15.39 | -0.5% |
| 2002 | 15.34 | -0.4% |
| 2003 | 15.23 | -0.7% |
| 2004 | 15.14 | -0.6% |
| 2005 | 15.06 | -0.5% |
| 2006 | 14.96 | -0.6% |
| 2007 | 14.88 | -0.5% |
| 2008 | 14.77 | -0.8% |
| 2009 | 14.7 | -0.5% |
| 2010 | 14.63 | -0.4% |
| 2011 | 14.53 | -0.7% |
| 2012 | 14.45 | -0.5% |
| 2013 | 14.39 | -0.5% |
| 2014 | 14.31 | -0.6% |
| 2015 | 14.24 | -0.4% |
| 2016 | 14.16 | -0.6% |
| 2017 | 14.07 | -0.6% |
| 2018 | 14.01 | -0.4% |
| 2019 | 13.95 | -0.4% |
| 2020 | 13.89 | -0.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 15.09 | 14.7 | 15.47 | 10 |
| 2010s | 14.27 | 13.95 | 14.63 | 10 |
| 2020s | 13.89 | 13.89 | 13.89 | 1 |
Countries ranked near Africa (UNSDG)
More health data for Africa (UNSDG)
- Live Births Surviving to Age 1 52,055 (2100)
- Prevalence of overweight among adults, BMI ≥ 25 36.19 (2022)
- Prevalence of obesity among adults, BMI ≥ 30 15.51 (2022)
- Prevalence of underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 10.56 (2022)
- Percentage of overweight among children aged 5-19 years, BMI > +1 14.27 (2022)
- Prevalence of obesity among children aged 5-19 years, BMI > +2 5.27 (2022)
- Percentage of thinness among children aged 5-19 years, BMI < -2 8.85 (2022)
- Weight-for-height <-2 SD 5.4 (2024)
- Weight-for-height <-3 SD 1.3 (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is prevalence of low birth weight among new-borns in Africa (UNSDG)?
- Prevalence of low birth weight among new-borns in Africa (UNSDG) was 13.89 in 2020, according to UNICEF.
- What is the highest prevalence of low birth weight among new-borns recorded in Africa (UNSDG)?
- The highest recorded value was 15.47 in 2000.
- What is the lowest prevalence of low birth weight among new-borns recorded in Africa (UNSDG)?
- The lowest recorded value was 13.89 in 2020.
- How does Africa (UNSDG) rank for prevalence of low birth weight among new-borns?
- Africa (UNSDG) ranks 62nd out of 156 groups with data for 2020.
- Is prevalence of low birth weight among new-borns rising or falling in Africa (UNSDG)?
- Over the last ten years it is down 5.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Africa (UNSDG) data come from?
- The figures come from UNICEF, published as part of Prevalence of low birth weight among new-borns. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 21 observations, free to reuse under UNICEF Terms of Use (attribution required).