Prevalence of undernourishment in Lower middle income

Lower middle income: Prevalence of undernourishment was 13.4% in 2023. ▼ Falling

Latest (2023)
13.4%
Change on year
down 4.7%
Rank
15th
of 47 groups
All-time high
20.0%
in 2003
All-time low
11.3%
in 2018
Years of data
23
2001–2023

Prevalence of undernourishment in Lower middle income, 2001–2023

051015202001201220232001: 18.7 % of population2002: 19.4 % of population2003: 20 % of population2004: 19.7 % of population2005: 18.9 % of population2006: 17.3 % of population2007: 15.8 % of population2008: 14.9 % of population2009: 14.6 % of population2010: 14.2 % of population2011: 13.9 % of population2012: 13.4 % of population2013: 12.9 % of population2014: 12.7 % of population2015: 12.3 % of population2016: 11.9 % of population2017: 11.5 % of population2018: 11.3 % of population2019: 12.3 % of population2020: 13.3 % of population2021: 14.3 % of population2022: 14.1 % of population2023: 13.4 % of population

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

Analysis

In 2023, prevalence of undernourishment in Lower middle income stood at 13.4%.

That represents a change of down 4.7% on the previous year and up 4.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, prevalence of undernourishment in Lower middle income peaked at 20.0% in 2003 and was at its lowest, 11.3%, in 2018.

That places Lower middle income 15th out of 47 groups with data for 2023, putting it 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 Lower middle income, year by year

Annual values for Prevalence of undernourishment (% of population) in Lower middle income, 2001 to 2023.
Year % of population Change
2001 18.7%
2002 19.4% +3.9%
2003 20.0% +2.8%
2004 19.7% -1.3%
2005 18.9% -4.1%
2006 17.3% -8.5%
2007 15.8% -8.8%
2008 14.9% -5.8%
2009 14.6% -1.9%
2010 14.2% -2.3%
2011 13.9% -2.2%
2012 13.4% -4.0%
2013 12.9% -3.4%
2014 12.7% -2.0%
2015 12.3% -2.5%
2016 11.9% -3.2%
2017 11.5% -3.8%
2018 11.3% -1.8%
2019 12.3% +8.7%
2020 13.3% +8.4%
2021 14.3% +7.4%
2022 14.1% -1.4%
2023 13.4% -4.7%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 17.7% 14.6% 20.0% 9
2010s 12.6% 11.3% 14.2% 10
2020s 13.8% 13.3% 14.3% 4

Countries ranked near Lower middle income

  1. 12 Papua New Guinea 28.7% compare
  2. 13 Afghanistan 28.1% compare
  3. 14 Congo 26.4% compare
  4. 15 Gabon 25.3% compare
  5. 16 Rwanda 24.4% compare
  6. 17 Sierra Leone 24.1% compare
  7. 18 Botswana 24.0% compare

See the full ranking of 215 places →

More health data for Lower middle income

All data for Lower middle income →

Frequently asked questions

What is prevalence of undernourishment in Lower middle income?
Prevalence of undernourishment in Lower middle income was 13.4% in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
What is the highest prevalence of undernourishment recorded in Lower middle income?
The highest recorded value was 20.0% in 2003.
What is the lowest prevalence of undernourishment recorded in Lower middle income?
The lowest recorded value was 11.3% in 2018.
How does Lower middle income rank for prevalence of undernourishment?
Lower middle income ranks 15th out of 47 groups with data for 2023.
Is prevalence of undernourishment rising or falling in Lower middle income?
Over the last ten years it is up 4.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Lower middle 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 Lower middle income. Statizoid, drawing on Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Retrieved 10 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/prevalence-of-undernourishment-percent-of-population/lower-middle-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%.