Prevalence of underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNSDG)

Latin America and the Caribbean (UNSDG): Prevalence of underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 was 2.49 in 2022. ▼ Falling

Latest (2022)
2.49
Change on year
down 1.2%
Rank
120th
of 156 groups
All-time high
3.86
in 2000
All-time low
2.49
in 2022
Years of data
23
2000–2022

Prevalence of underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNSDG), 2000–2022

012342000201120222000: 3.92001: 3.72002: 3.62003: 3.52004: 3.42005: 3.32006: 3.22007: 3.22008: 3.12009: 32010: 32011: 2.92012: 2.92013: 2.82014: 2.82015: 2.72016: 2.72017: 2.62018: 2.62019: 2.62020: 2.62021: 2.52022: 2.5

Source: UNICEF.

Analysis

The most recent figure for prevalence of underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNSDG) is 2.49, measured in 2022. That is the lowest value across all 23 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.2% on the previous year and down 13.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, prevalence of underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNSDG) peaked at 3.86 in 2000 and was at its lowest, 2.49, in 2022.

That places Latin America and the Caribbean (UNSDG) 120th out of 156 groups with data for 2022, putting it in the bottom quarter.

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

Prevalence of underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNSDG), year by year

Annual values for Prevalence of underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 (Crude estimate) in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNSDG), 2000 to 2022.
Year Value Change
2000 3.86
2001 3.72 -3.4%
2002 3.6 -3.5%
2003 3.49 -3.0%
2004 3.42 -2.0%
2005 3.33 -2.5%
2006 3.25 -2.7%
2007 3.18 -1.9%
2008 3.09 -2.8%
2009 3.05 -1.6%
2010 2.98 -2.1%
2011 2.91 -2.5%
2012 2.86 -1.6%
2013 2.81 -1.7%
2014 2.76 -1.9%
2015 2.72 -1.2%
2016 2.7 -1.0%
2017 2.65 -1.8%
2018 2.61 -1.3%
2019 2.57 -1.8%
2020 2.55 -0.5%
2021 2.52 -1.4%
2022 2.49 -1.2%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 3.4 3.05 3.86 10
2010s 2.76 2.57 2.98 10
2020s 2.52 2.49 2.55 3

Countries ranked near Latin America and the Caribbean (UNSDG)

  1. 117 Bahrain 2.63 compare
  2. 117 Switzerland 2.63 compare
  3. 119 Paraguay 2.54 compare
  4. 120 Panama 2.5 compare
  5. 121 Russian Federation 2.49 compare
  6. 122 Bulgaria 2.48 compare
  7. 123 Uzbekistan 2.42 compare

See the full ranking of 349 places →

More health data for Latin America and the Caribbean (UNSDG)

All data for Latin America and the Caribbean (UNSDG) →

Frequently asked questions

What is prevalence of underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNSDG)?
Prevalence of underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNSDG) was 2.49 in 2022, according to UNICEF.
What is the highest prevalence of underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 recorded in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNSDG)?
The highest recorded value was 3.86 in 2000.
What is the lowest prevalence of underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 recorded in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNSDG)?
The lowest recorded value was 2.49 in 2022.
How does Latin America and the Caribbean (UNSDG) rank for prevalence of underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5?
Latin America and the Caribbean (UNSDG) ranks 120th out of 156 groups with data for 2022.
Is prevalence of underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 rising or falling in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNSDG)?
Over the last ten years it is down 13.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Latin America and the Caribbean (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 Latin America and the Caribbean (UNSDG). Statizoid, drawing on UNICEF. Retrieved 16 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/prevalence-of-underweight-among-adults-bmi-18-5-crude-estimate/latin-america-and-the-caribbean-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