Prevalence of severe wasting, weight for height in Mozambique
Mozambique: Prevalence of severe wasting, weight for height was 0.7% in 2022. ▼ Falling
Prevalence of severe wasting, weight for height in Mozambique, 1997–2022
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 severe wasting, weight for height in Mozambique is 0.7%, measured in 2022. That is the lowest value across all 8 years on record.
That represents a change of down 30.0% on the previous year and down 70.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of severe wasting, weight for height in Mozambique peaked at 3.6% in 2001 and was at its lowest, 0.7%, in 2022.
That places Mozambique 56th out of 85 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the middle of the range.
Prevalence of severe wasting, weight for height in Mozambique, year by year
| Year | % of children under 5 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 3.4% | — |
| 2001 | 3.6% | +5.9% |
| 2003 | 2.1% | -41.7% |
| 2008 | 1.3% | -38.1% |
| 2011 | 2.4% | +84.6% |
| 2015 | 1.7% | -29.2% |
| 2020 | 1.0% | -41.2% |
| 2022 | 0.7% | -30.0% |
Mozambique compared with similar countries
- Mozambique's 0.7% is below the median for low income countries, which is 1.3%, 54% of the median. (18 countries reporting)
- Mozambique's 0.7% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1.2%, 56% of the median. (32 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 3.4% | 3.4% | 3.4% | 1 |
| 2000s | 2.3% | 1.3% | 3.6% | 3 |
| 2010s | 2.0% | 1.7% | 2.4% | 2 |
| 2020s | 0.8% | 0.7% | 1.0% | 2 |
Countries ranked near Mozambique
More health data for Mozambique
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.85 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 1.16 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 869.7 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 18,288 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 139 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 1.92 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0823 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 1.92 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is prevalence of severe wasting, weight for height in Mozambique?
- Prevalence of severe wasting, weight for height in Mozambique was 0.7% 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 severe wasting, weight for height recorded in Mozambique?
- The highest recorded value was 3.6% in 2001.
- What is the lowest prevalence of severe wasting, weight for height recorded in Mozambique?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.7% in 2022.
- How does Mozambique rank for prevalence of severe wasting, weight for height?
- Mozambique ranks 56th out of 85 countries with data for 2022.
- Is prevalence of severe wasting, weight for height rising or falling in Mozambique?
- Over the last ten years it is down 70.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Mozambique 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 severe wasting, weight for height (% of children under 5). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Prevalence of severe wasting is the proportion of children under age 5 whose weight for height is more than three standard deviations below the median for the international reference population ages 0-59 months.