Prevalence of underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 in Eastern Africa (UNSDG)

Eastern Africa (UNSDG): Prevalence of underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 was 15.22 in 2022. ▼ Falling

Latest (2022)
15.22
Change on year
down 0.4%
Rank
8th
of 156 groups
All-time high
17.93
in 2000
All-time low
15.22
in 2022
Years of data
23
2000–2022

Prevalence of underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 in Eastern Africa (UNSDG), 2000–2022

051015202000201120222000: 17.92001: 17.82002: 17.72003: 17.52004: 17.42005: 17.22006: 17.12007: 16.92008: 16.82009: 16.62010: 16.42011: 16.32012: 16.12013: 15.92014: 15.82015: 15.72016: 15.62017: 15.52018: 15.42019: 15.42020: 15.32021: 15.32022: 15.2

Source: UNICEF.

Analysis

In 2022, prevalence of underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 in Eastern Africa (UNSDG) stood at 15.22. That is the lowest value across all 23 years on record.

That represents a change of down 0.4% on the previous year and down 5.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, prevalence of underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 in Eastern Africa (UNSDG) peaked at 17.93 in 2000 and was at its lowest, 15.22, in 2022.

That places Eastern Africa (UNSDG) 8th out of 156 groups with data for 2022, putting it in the top 10%.

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

Prevalence of underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 in Eastern Africa (UNSDG), year by year

Annual values for Prevalence of underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 (Crude estimate) in Eastern Africa (UNSDG), 2000 to 2022.
Year Value Change
2000 17.93
2001 17.79 -0.8%
2002 17.66 -0.7%
2003 17.52 -0.8%
2004 17.38 -0.8%
2005 17.21 -1.0%
2006 17.06 -0.9%
2007 16.89 -1.0%
2008 16.75 -0.8%
2009 16.58 -1.0%
2010 16.43 -0.9%
2011 16.27 -0.9%
2012 16.1 -1.1%
2013 15.95 -0.9%
2014 15.82 -0.8%
2015 15.69 -0.8%
2016 15.57 -0.8%
2017 15.51 -0.4%
2018 15.4 -0.7%
2019 15.35 -0.3%
2020 15.32 -0.2%
2021 15.27 -0.3%
2022 15.22 -0.4%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 17.28 16.58 17.93 10
2010s 15.81 15.35 16.43 10
2020s 15.27 15.22 15.32 3

Countries ranked near Eastern Africa (UNSDG)

  1. 5 Senegal 19.34 compare
  2. 6 Niger 19.03 compare
  3. 7 Somalia 19 compare
  4. 8 Madagascar 17.37 compare
  5. 9 South Sudan 17.1 compare
  6. 10 Sudan 16.09 compare
  7. 11 Chad 16 compare

See the full ranking of 349 places →

More health data for Eastern Africa (UNSDG)

All data for Eastern Africa (UNSDG) →

Frequently asked questions

What is prevalence of underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 in Eastern Africa (UNSDG)?
Prevalence of underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 in Eastern Africa (UNSDG) was 15.22 in 2022, according to UNICEF.
What is the highest prevalence of underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 recorded in Eastern Africa (UNSDG)?
The highest recorded value was 17.93 in 2000.
What is the lowest prevalence of underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 recorded in Eastern Africa (UNSDG)?
The lowest recorded value was 15.22 in 2022.
How does Eastern Africa (UNSDG) rank for prevalence of underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5?
Eastern Africa (UNSDG) ranks 8th out of 156 groups with data for 2022.
Is prevalence of underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 rising or falling in Eastern Africa (UNSDG)?
Over the last ten years it is down 5.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Eastern Africa (UNSDG) data come from?
The figures come from UNICEF, published as part of Prevalence of underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 (Crude estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Prevalence of underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 in Eastern Africa (UNSDG). Statizoid, drawing on UNICEF. Retrieved 13 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/prevalence-of-underweight-among-adults-bmi-18-5-crude-estimate/eastern-africa-unsdg/

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About this data

Indicator
Prevalence of underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 (Crude estimate)
Source
UNICEF
Licence
UNICEF Terms of Use (attribution required)
Coverage
349 places, 9,955 data points, 1990–2022
Last refreshed