Prevalence of undernourishment (% of population) in Laos
Laos: Prevalence of undernourishment (% of population) was 10.0% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Prevalence of undernourishment in Laos, 2001–2024
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Measured in % of population.
Analysis
In 2024, prevalence of undernourishment in Laos stood at 10.0%.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 5.3% on the previous year and up 35.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of undernourishment in Laos peaked at 30.9% in 2001 and was at its lowest, 7.2%, in 2015.
Laos ranks 60th of 171 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Prevalence of undernourishment (% of population) in Laos, year by year
| Year | % of population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 30.9% | — |
| 2002 | 29.2% | -5.5% |
| 2003 | 26.2% | -10.3% |
| 2004 | 23.1% | -11.8% |
| 2005 | 20.2% | -12.6% |
| 2006 | 17.4% | -13.9% |
| 2007 | 14.9% | -14.4% |
| 2008 | 12.8% | -14.1% |
| 2009 | 11.2% | -12.5% |
| 2010 | 9.9% | -11.6% |
| 2011 | 9.3% | -6.1% |
| 2012 | 8.7% | -6.5% |
| 2013 | 8.1% | -6.9% |
| 2014 | 7.4% | -8.6% |
| 2015 | 7.2% | -2.7% |
| 2016 | 7.4% | +2.8% |
| 2017 | 7.9% | +6.8% |
| 2018 | 8.3% | +5.1% |
| 2019 | 9.3% | +12.0% |
| 2020 | 9.1% | -2.2% |
| 2021 | 8.7% | -4.4% |
| 2022 | 9.1% | +4.6% |
| 2023 | 9.5% | +4.4% |
| 2024 | 10.0% | +5.3% |
Laos compared with similar countries
- Laos's 10.0% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 11.1%, 90% of the median. (44 countries reporting)
- Laos's 10.0% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 4.3%, 2.3× the median. (26 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 20.7% | 11.2% | 30.9% | 9 |
| 2010s | 8.3% | 7.2% | 9.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 9.3% | 8.7% | 10.0% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Laos
More health data for Laos
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -2.76 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.5667 % change on previous year (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 317 (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 15 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -0.5161 % 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 0.0489 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -0.5055 % 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 0.0511 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is prevalence of undernourishment in Laos?
- Prevalence of undernourishment in Laos was 10.0% in 2024, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
- What is the highest prevalence of undernourishment recorded in Laos?
- The highest recorded value was 30.9% in 2001.
- What is the lowest prevalence of undernourishment recorded in Laos?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.2% in 2015.
- How does Laos rank for prevalence of undernourishment?
- Laos ranks 60th out of 171 countries with data for 2024.
- Is prevalence of undernourishment rising or falling in Laos?
- Over the last ten years it is up 35.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Laos data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), published as part of Prevalence of undernourishment (% of population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 24 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Prevalence of undernourishment is the percentage of the population whose habitual food consumption is insufficient to provide the dietary energy levels that are required to maintain a normal active and healthy life. Data showing as 2.5 may signify a prevalence of undernourishment below 2.5%.