Prevalence of low birth weight among new-borns in China

China: Prevalence of low birth weight among new-borns was 4.97 in 2020. ▼ Falling

Latest (2020)
4.97
Change on year
up 0.2%
World rank
146th
of 157 countries
All-time high
5.74
in 2000
All-time low
4.96
in 2019
Years of data
21
2000–2020

Prevalence of low birth weight among new-borns in China, 2000–2020

02462000201020202000: 5.72001: 5.72002: 5.72003: 5.62004: 5.52005: 5.52006: 5.42007: 5.32008: 5.32009: 5.22010: 5.22011: 5.22012: 5.12013: 5.12014: 5.12015: 52016: 52017: 52018: 52019: 52020: 5

Source: UNICEF.

Analysis

In 2020, prevalence of low birth weight among new-borns in China stood at 4.97.

The figure is up 0.2% on the previous year and down 4.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, prevalence of low birth weight among new-borns in China peaked at 5.74 in 2000 and was at its lowest, 4.96, in 2019.

That places China 146th out of 157 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 21 years of available data.

Prevalence of low birth weight among new-borns in China, year by year

Annual values for Prevalence of low birth weight among new-borns in China, 2000 to 2020.
Year Value Change
2000 5.74
2001 5.7 -0.7%
2002 5.65 -0.8%
2003 5.59 -1.1%
2004 5.52 -1.2%
2005 5.46 -1.2%
2006 5.39 -1.2%
2007 5.33 -1.2%
2008 5.27 -1.0%
2009 5.22 -0.9%
2010 5.18 -0.8%
2011 5.15 -0.6%
2012 5.12 -0.6%
2013 5.09 -0.5%
2014 5.06 -0.6%
2015 5.04 -0.5%
2016 5.01 -0.6%
2017 4.98 -0.5%
2018 4.96 -0.4%
2019 4.96 -0.0%
2020 4.97 +0.2%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 5.49 5.22 5.74 10
2010s 5.06 4.96 5.18 10
2020s 4.97 4.97 4.97 1

Countries ranked near China

  1. 143 Bosnia and Herzegovina 5.15 compare
  2. 144 Belarus 5.12 compare
  3. 145 Croatia 4.99 compare
  4. 147 Mongolia 4.9 compare
  5. 148 Denmark 4.81 compare
  6. 149 Norway 4.44 compare

See the full ranking of 313 places →

More health data for China

All data for China →

Frequently asked questions

What is prevalence of low birth weight among new-borns in China?
Prevalence of low birth weight among new-borns in China was 4.97 in 2020, according to UNICEF.
What is the highest prevalence of low birth weight among new-borns recorded in China?
The highest recorded value was 5.74 in 2000.
What is the lowest prevalence of low birth weight among new-borns recorded in China?
The lowest recorded value was 4.96 in 2019.
How does China rank for prevalence of low birth weight among new-borns?
China ranks 146th out of 157 countries with data for 2020.
Is prevalence of low birth weight among new-borns rising or falling in China?
Over the last ten years it is down 4.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this China 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.

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Prevalence of low birth weight among new-borns in China. Statizoid, drawing on UNICEF. Retrieved 03 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/prevalence-of-low-birth-weight-among-new-borns/china/

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About this data

Indicator
Prevalence of low birth weight among new-borns
Source
UNICEF
Licence
UNICEF Terms of Use (attribution required)
Coverage
313 places, 6,573 data points, 2000–2020
Last refreshed