Prevalence of undernourishment in Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income)

Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income): Prevalence of undernourishment was 5.5% in 2023. ▼ Falling

Latest (2023)
5.5%
Change on year
down 6.9%
Rank
30th
of 47 groups
All-time high
10.6%
in 2001
All-time low
5.3%
in 2014
Years of data
23
2001–2023

Prevalence of undernourishment in Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income), 2001–2023

02.557.5102001201220232001: 10.6 % of population2002: 10.4 % of population2003: 10.1 % of population2004: 9.4 % of population2005: 8.8 % of population2006: 8.1 % of population2007: 7.5 % of population2008: 7 % of population2009: 6.7 % of population2010: 6.3 % of population2011: 5.9 % of population2012: 5.7 % of population2013: 5.4 % of population2014: 5.3 % of population2015: 5.6 % of population2016: 5.9 % of population2017: 6.3 % of population2018: 6.2 % of population2019: 6.3 % of population2020: 6.1 % of population2021: 6.2 % of population2022: 5.9 % of population2023: 5.5 % of population

Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Measured in % of population.

Analysis

In 2023, prevalence of undernourishment in Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income) stood at 5.5%.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 6.9% on the previous year and up 0.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, prevalence of undernourishment in Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income) peaked at 10.6% in 2001 and was at its lowest, 5.3%, in 2014.

Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income) ranks 30th of 47 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 23 years of available data.

Prevalence of undernourishment in Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income), year by year

Annual values for Prevalence of undernourishment (% of population) in Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income), 2001 to 2023.
Year % of population Change
2001 10.6%
2002 10.4% -2.3%
2003 10.1% -2.9%
2004 9.4% -6.8%
2005 8.8% -6.4%
2006 8.1% -8.2%
2007 7.5% -6.6%
2008 7.0% -6.5%
2009 6.7% -5.5%
2010 6.3% -5.9%
2011 5.9% -5.5%
2012 5.7% -4.4%
2013 5.4% -4.4%
2014 5.3% -1.6%
2015 5.6% +5.9%
2016 5.9% +5.1%
2017 6.3% +5.9%
2018 6.2% -1.1%
2019 6.3% +0.8%
2020 6.1% -2.4%
2021 6.2% +1.2%
2022 5.9% -5.2%
2023 5.5% -6.9%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 8.7% 6.7% 10.6% 9
2010s 5.9% 5.3% 6.3% 10
2020s 5.9% 5.5% 6.2% 4

Countries ranked near Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income)

  1. 27 Nigeria 19.9% compare
  2. 28 Ethiopia 19.7% compare
  3. 28 Zimbabwe 19.7% compare
  4. 30 East Timor 18.7% compare
  5. 31 Namibia 18.1% compare
  6. 32 Sao Tome and Principe 17.4% compare
  7. 33 Nicaragua 17.3% compare

See the full ranking of 215 places →

More health data for Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income)

All data for Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income) →

Frequently asked questions

What is prevalence of undernourishment in Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income)?
Prevalence of undernourishment in Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income) was 5.5% in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
What is the highest prevalence of undernourishment recorded in Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income)?
The highest recorded value was 10.6% in 2001.
What is the lowest prevalence of undernourishment recorded in Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income)?
The lowest recorded value was 5.3% in 2014.
How does Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income) rank for prevalence of undernourishment?
Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income) ranks 30th out of 47 groups with data for 2023.
Is prevalence of undernourishment rising or falling in Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income)?
Over the last ten years it is up 0.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income) 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.

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Prevalence of undernourishment in Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income). Statizoid, drawing on Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Retrieved 18 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/prevalence-of-undernourishment-percent-of-population/latin-america-and-caribbean-excluding-high-income/

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About this data

Indicator
Prevalence of undernourishment (% of population)
Unit
% of population
Source
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
215 places, 4,908 data points, 2001–2023
Last refreshed

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%.