Prevalence of overweight, weight for height (% of children under 5) in Benin
Benin: Prevalence of overweight, weight for height (% of children under 5) was 2.9% in 2021. ▼ Falling
Prevalence of overweight, weight for height in Benin, 1996–2021
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
In 2021, prevalence of overweight, weight for height in Benin stood at 2.9%.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 52.6% on the previous year and up 93.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of overweight, weight for height in Benin peaked at 3.1% in 2001 and was at its lowest, 1.5%, in 2008.
Benin ranks 69th of 93 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Prevalence of overweight, weight for height (% of children under 5) in Benin, year by year
| Year | % of children under 5 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 2.5% | — |
| 2001 | 3.1% | +24.0% |
| 2008 | 1.5% | -51.6% |
| 2014 | 1.7% | +13.3% |
| 2018 | 1.9% | +11.8% |
| 2021 | 2.9% | +52.6% |
Benin compared with similar countries
- Benin's 2.9% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 4.0%, 72% of the median. (36 countries reporting)
- Benin's 2.9% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 2.9%, 1.0× the median. (33 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 2.5% | 2.5% | 2.5% | 1 |
| 2000s | 2.3% | 1.5% | 3.1% | 2 |
| 2010s | 1.8% | 1.7% | 1.9% | 2 |
| 2020s | 2.9% | 2.9% | 2.9% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Benin
More health data for Benin
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.1 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.8458 % change on previous year (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 13,632 (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 21 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 1.21 % 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 0.0741 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 1.24 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per capita 0.0763 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is prevalence of overweight, weight for height in Benin?
- Prevalence of overweight, weight for height in Benin was 2.9% in 2021, 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 Benin?
- The highest recorded value was 3.1% in 2001.
- What is the lowest prevalence of overweight, weight for height recorded in Benin?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.5% in 2008.
- How does Benin rank for prevalence of overweight, weight for height?
- Benin ranks 69th out of 93 countries with data for 2021.
- Is prevalence of overweight, weight for height rising or falling in Benin?
- Over the last ten years it is up 93.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Benin 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.