Prevalence of underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 (Crude estimate) in Jamaica
Jamaica: Prevalence of underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 (Crude estimate) was 4.15 in 2022. ▼ Falling
Prevalence of underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 in Jamaica, 1990–2022
Source: UNICEF.
Analysis
In 2022, prevalence of underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 in Jamaica stood at 4.15. That is the lowest value across all 33 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.7% on the previous year and down 8.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 in Jamaica peaked at 9.33 in 1990 and was at its lowest, 4.15, in 2022.
That places Jamaica 82nd out of 193 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 33 years of available data.
Prevalence of underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 (Crude estimate) in Jamaica, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 9.33 | — |
| 1991 | 9.01 | -3.4% |
| 1992 | 8.69 | -3.6% |
| 1993 | 8.37 | -3.7% |
| 1994 | 8.05 | -3.8% |
| 1995 | 7.73 | -4.0% |
| 1996 | 7.42 | -4.0% |
| 1997 | 7.12 | -4.0% |
| 1998 | 6.82 | -4.2% |
| 1999 | 6.54 | -4.1% |
| 2000 | 6.28 | -4.0% |
| 2001 | 6.03 | -4.0% |
| 2002 | 5.81 | -3.6% |
| 2003 | 5.6 | -3.6% |
| 2004 | 5.42 | -3.2% |
| 2005 | 5.25 | -3.1% |
| 2006 | 5.1 | -2.9% |
| 2007 | 4.98 | -2.4% |
| 2008 | 4.86 | -2.4% |
| 2009 | 4.77 | -1.9% |
| 2010 | 4.68 | -1.9% |
| 2011 | 4.61 | -1.5% |
| 2012 | 4.54 | -1.5% |
| 2013 | 4.49 | -1.1% |
| 2014 | 4.44 | -1.1% |
| 2015 | 4.4 | -0.9% |
| 2016 | 4.35 | -1.1% |
| 2017 | 4.31 | -0.9% |
| 2018 | 4.27 | -0.9% |
| 2019 | 4.23 | -0.9% |
| 2020 | 4.2 | -0.7% |
| 2021 | 4.18 | -0.5% |
| 2022 | 4.15 | -0.7% |
Jamaica compared with similar countries
- Jamaica's 4.15 is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 3.08, 1.3× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Jamaica's 4.15 is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 2.93, 1.4× the median. (32 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 7.91 | 6.54 | 9.33 | 10 |
| 2000s | 5.41 | 4.77 | 6.28 | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.43 | 4.23 | 4.68 | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.18 | 4.15 | 4.2 | 3 |
Countries ranked near Jamaica
More health data for Jamaica
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -3.12 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.3325 % change on previous year (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 31 (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -1.64 % 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 0.0278 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -1.6 % 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 0.0288 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is prevalence of underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 in Jamaica?
- Prevalence of underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 in Jamaica was 4.15 in 2022, according to UNICEF.
- What is the highest prevalence of underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 recorded in Jamaica?
- The highest recorded value was 9.33 in 1990.
- What is the lowest prevalence of underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 recorded in Jamaica?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.15 in 2022.
- How does Jamaica rank for prevalence of underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5?
- Jamaica ranks 82nd out of 193 countries with data for 2022.
- Is prevalence of underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 rising or falling in Jamaica?
- Over the last ten years it is down 8.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Jamaica 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 33 observations, free to reuse under UNICEF Terms of Use (attribution required).