Prevalence of underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 (Crude estimate) in Malaysia
Malaysia: Prevalence of underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 (Crude estimate) was 5.37 in 2022. ▼ Falling
Latest (2022)
5.37
Change on year
down 3.4%
World rank
70th
of 193 countries
All-time high
14.96
in 1990
All-time low
5.37
in 2022
Years of data
33
1990–2022
Prevalence of underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 in Malaysia, 1990–2022
Source: UNICEF.
Analysis
Malaysia recorded 5.37 for prevalence of underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 in 2022. That is the lowest value across all 33 years on record.
The figure is down 3.4% on the previous year and down 30.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 in Malaysia peaked at 14.96 in 1990 and was at its lowest, 5.37, in 2022.
That places Malaysia 70th 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 Malaysia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 14.96 | — |
| 1991 | 14.46 | -3.3% |
| 1992 | 13.97 | -3.4% |
| 1993 | 13.5 | -3.4% |
| 1994 | 13.05 | -3.3% |
| 1995 | 12.62 | -3.3% |
| 1996 | 12.21 | -3.2% |
| 1997 | 11.82 | -3.2% |
| 1998 | 11.45 | -3.1% |
| 1999 | 11.09 | -3.1% |
| 2000 | 10.76 | -3.0% |
| 2001 | 10.48 | -2.6% |
| 2002 | 10.21 | -2.6% |
| 2003 | 9.95 | -2.5% |
| 2004 | 9.7 | -2.5% |
| 2005 | 9.46 | -2.5% |
| 2006 | 9.23 | -2.4% |
| 2007 | 8.99 | -2.6% |
| 2008 | 8.76 | -2.6% |
| 2009 | 8.53 | -2.6% |
| 2010 | 8.27 | -3.0% |
| 2011 | 7.99 | -3.4% |
| 2012 | 7.71 | -3.5% |
| 2013 | 7.44 | -3.5% |
| 2014 | 7.17 | -3.6% |
| 2015 | 6.91 | -3.6% |
| 2016 | 6.66 | -3.6% |
| 2017 | 6.43 | -3.5% |
| 2018 | 6.2 | -3.6% |
| 2019 | 5.97 | -3.7% |
| 2020 | 5.76 | -3.5% |
| 2021 | 5.56 | -3.5% |
| 2022 | 5.37 | -3.4% |
Malaysia compared with similar countries
- Malaysia's 5.37 is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 3.08, 1.7× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Malaysia's 5.37 is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 3.69, 1.5× the median. (30 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 12.91 | 11.09 | 14.96 | 10 |
| 2000s | 9.61 | 8.53 | 10.76 | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.08 | 5.97 | 8.27 | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.56 | 5.37 | 5.76 | 3 |
Countries ranked near Malaysia
- 67 Liberia 5.9 compare
- 68 Mauritius 5.89 compare
- 69 Morocco 5.39 compare
- 71 Cape Verde 5.24 compare
- 72 South Africa 5.22 compare
- 73 Antigua and Barbuda 4.64 compare
- 73 Venezuela 4.64 compare
More health data for Malaysia
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -0.9119 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.2888 % change on previous year (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 652 (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 18 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -0.7207 % 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 0.0297 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -0.5991 % 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 0.0316 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is prevalence of underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 in Malaysia?
- Prevalence of underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 in Malaysia was 5.37 in 2022, according to UNICEF.
- What is the highest prevalence of underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 recorded in Malaysia?
- The highest recorded value was 14.96 in 1990.
- What is the lowest prevalence of underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 recorded in Malaysia?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.37 in 2022.
- How does Malaysia rank for prevalence of underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5?
- Malaysia ranks 70th out of 193 countries with data for 2022.
- Is prevalence of underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 rising or falling in Malaysia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 30.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Malaysia 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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