Prevalence of overweight, weight for height in Bangladesh
Bangladesh: Prevalence of overweight, weight for height was 1.6% in 2022. ◆ Volatile
Prevalence of overweight, weight for height in Bangladesh, 1986–2022
Source: UNICEF, WHO, World Bank: Joint child Malnutrition Estimates (JME). Aggregation is based on UNICEF, WHO, and the World Bank harmonized dataset (adjusted, comparable data) and methodology., UN Children'. Measured in % of children under 5.
Analysis
The most recent figure for prevalence of overweight, weight for height in Bangladesh is 1.6%, measured in 2022.
The figure is down 33.3% on the previous year and down 5.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of overweight, weight for height in Bangladesh peaked at 2.4% in 1997 and was at its lowest, 0.2%, in 1986.
That places Bangladesh 79th out of 93 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Prevalence of overweight, weight for height in Bangladesh, year by year
| Year | % of children under 5 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1986 | 0.2% | — |
| 1990 | 0.6% | +200.0% |
| 1991 | 0.3% | -50.0% |
| 1992 | 0.2% | -33.3% |
| 1993 | 0.4% | +100.0% |
| 1994 | 0.2% | -50.0% |
| 1995 | 0.2% | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 0.3% | +50.0% |
| 1997 | 2.4% | +700.0% |
| 1998 | 0.2% | -91.7% |
| 1999 | 0.6% | +200.0% |
| 2000 | 0.9% | +50.0% |
| 2001 | 0.9% | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 1.0% | +11.1% |
| 2003 | 1.0% | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 0.9% | -10.0% |
| 2005 | 1.0% | +11.1% |
| 2006 | 0.8% | -20.0% |
| 2007 | 1.1% | +37.5% |
| 2011 | 1.9% | +72.7% |
| 2012 | 1.7% | -10.5% |
| 2013 | 1.6% | -5.9% |
| 2014 | 1.6% | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 1.4% | -12.5% |
| 2018 | 2.2% | +57.1% |
| 2019 | 2.4% | +9.1% |
| 2022 | 1.6% | -33.3% |
Bangladesh compared with similar countries
- Bangladesh's 1.6% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 4.0%, 40% of the median. (36 countries reporting)
- Bangladesh's 1.6% is above the median for South Asia, which is 1.6%, 1.0× the median. (5 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Prevalence of overweight, weight for height in Bangladesh changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | +700.0% | 0.3% | 2.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 1 |
| 1990s | 0.5% | 0.2% | 2.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.0% | 0.8% | 1.1% | 8 |
| 2010s | 1.8% | 1.4% | 2.4% | 7 |
| 2020s | 1.6% | 1.6% | 1.6% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Bangladesh
More health data for Bangladesh
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -2.36 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 1.15 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,153 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 4,062 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 35 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 0.8772 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0468 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 0.7714 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is prevalence of overweight, weight for height in Bangladesh?
- Prevalence of overweight, weight for height in Bangladesh was 1.6% in 2022, according to UNICEF, WHO, World Bank: Joint child Malnutrition Estimates (JME). Aggregation is based on UNICEF, WHO, and the World Bank harmonized dataset (adjusted, comparable data) and methodology., UN Children'.
- What is the highest prevalence of overweight, weight for height recorded in Bangladesh?
- The highest recorded value was 2.4% in 1997.
- What is the lowest prevalence of overweight, weight for height recorded in Bangladesh?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.2% in 1986.
- How does Bangladesh rank for prevalence of overweight, weight for height?
- Bangladesh ranks 79th out of 93 countries with data for 2022.
- Is prevalence of overweight, weight for height rising or falling in Bangladesh?
- Over the last ten years it is down 5.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Bangladesh data come from?
- The figures come from UNICEF, WHO, World Bank: Joint child Malnutrition Estimates (JME). Aggregation is based on UNICEF, WHO, and the World Bank harmonized dataset (adjusted, comparable data) and methodology., UN Children', published as part of Prevalence of overweight, weight for height (% of children under 5). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Prevalence of overweight children is the percentage of children under age 5 whose weight for height is more than two standard deviations above the median for the international reference population of the corresponding age as established by the WHO's 2006 Child Growth Standards.