Prevalence of overweight, weight for height in Ecuador
Ecuador: Prevalence of overweight, weight for height was 4.5% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Prevalence of overweight, weight for height in Ecuador, 1999–2024
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 2024, prevalence of overweight, weight for height in Ecuador stood at 4.5%.
That represents a change of down 8.2% on the previous year and down 43.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of overweight, weight for height in Ecuador peaked at 8.0% in 2014 and was at its lowest, 2.6%, in 1999.
That places Ecuador 45th out of 93 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
Prevalence of overweight, weight for height in Ecuador, year by year
| Year | % of children under 5 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 2.6% | — |
| 2004 | 5.3% | +103.8% |
| 2006 | 5.2% | -1.9% |
| 2012 | 7.5% | +44.2% |
| 2014 | 8.0% | +6.7% |
| 2023 | 4.9% | -38.7% |
| 2024 | 4.5% | -8.2% |
Ecuador compared with similar countries
- Ecuador's 4.5% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 7.6%, 59% of the median. (26 countries reporting)
- Ecuador's 4.5% is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 7.1%, 63% of the median. (17 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 2.6% | 2.6% | 2.6% | 1 |
| 2000s | 5.2% | 5.2% | 5.3% | 2 |
| 2010s | 7.8% | 7.5% | 8.0% | 2 |
| 2020s | 4.7% | 4.5% | 4.9% | 2 |
Countries ranked near Ecuador
- 42 Guatemala 4.9% compare
- 42 Maldives 4.9% compare
- 44 Tajikistan 4.6% compare
- 45 Afghanistan 4.5% compare
- 45 Honduras 4.5% compare
- 45 Uzbekistan 4.5% compare
More health data for Ecuador
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.67 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.6766 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,324 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 354 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -1.67 % 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 0.0362 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -1.67 % 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 Ecuador?
- Prevalence of overweight, weight for height in Ecuador was 4.5% in 2024, 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 Ecuador?
- The highest recorded value was 8.0% in 2014.
- What is the lowest prevalence of overweight, weight for height recorded in Ecuador?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.6% in 1999.
- How does Ecuador rank for prevalence of overweight, weight for height?
- Ecuador ranks 45th out of 93 countries with data for 2024.
- Is prevalence of overweight, weight for height rising or falling in Ecuador?
- Over the last ten years it is down 43.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Ecuador 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.