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

Middle Africa (UNSDG): Prevalence of underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 was 11.66 in 2022. ▼ Falling

Latest (2022)
11.66
Change on year
down 2.0%
Rank
41st
of 156 groups
All-time high
18.23
in 2000
All-time low
11.66
in 2022
Years of data
23
2000–2022

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

051015202000201120222000: 18.22001: 182002: 17.82003: 17.52004: 17.22005: 16.92006: 16.62007: 16.32008: 15.92009: 15.62010: 15.22011: 14.82012: 14.52013: 14.12014: 13.82015: 13.52016: 13.22017: 12.92018: 12.62019: 12.42020: 12.12021: 11.92022: 11.7

Source: UNICEF.

Analysis

Middle Africa (UNSDG) recorded 11.66 for prevalence of underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 in 2022. That is the lowest value across all 23 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.0% on the previous year and down 19.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, prevalence of underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 in Middle Africa (UNSDG) peaked at 18.23 in 2000 and was at its lowest, 11.66, in 2022.

That places Middle Africa (UNSDG) 41st out of 156 groups with data for 2022, 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 underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 in Middle Africa (UNSDG), year by year

Annual values for Prevalence of underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 (Crude estimate) in Middle Africa (UNSDG), 2000 to 2022.
Year Value Change
2000 18.23
2001 18.01 -1.2%
2002 17.75 -1.4%
2003 17.49 -1.5%
2004 17.22 -1.5%
2005 16.94 -1.6%
2006 16.63 -1.8%
2007 16.31 -1.9%
2008 15.93 -2.3%
2009 15.56 -2.4%
2010 15.17 -2.5%
2011 14.82 -2.3%
2012 14.46 -2.5%
2013 14.12 -2.3%
2014 13.78 -2.4%
2015 13.49 -2.1%
2016 13.19 -2.2%
2017 12.92 -2.0%
2018 12.64 -2.2%
2019 12.36 -2.2%
2020 12.13 -1.9%
2021 11.9 -1.9%
2022 11.66 -2.0%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 17.01 15.56 18.23 10
2010s 13.7 12.36 15.17 10
2020s 11.89 11.66 12.13 3

Countries ranked near Middle Africa (UNSDG)

  1. 38 Korea, Democratic People&#x27;s Republic of 9.34 compare
  2. 39 Mali 9.28 compare
  3. 40 Equatorial Guinea 9.01 compare
  4. 41 Japan 8.93 compare
  5. 42 Indonesia 8.73 compare
  6. 43 Rwanda 8.59 compare
  7. 44 Mauritania 8.54 compare

See the full ranking of 349 places →

More health data for Middle Africa (UNSDG)

All data for Middle Africa (UNSDG) →

Frequently asked questions

What is prevalence of underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 in Middle Africa (UNSDG)?
Prevalence of underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 in Middle Africa (UNSDG) was 11.66 in 2022, according to UNICEF.
What is the highest prevalence of underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 recorded in Middle Africa (UNSDG)?
The highest recorded value was 18.23 in 2000.
What is the lowest prevalence of underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 recorded in Middle Africa (UNSDG)?
The lowest recorded value was 11.66 in 2022.
How does Middle Africa (UNSDG) rank for prevalence of underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5?
Middle Africa (UNSDG) ranks 41st out of 156 groups with data for 2022.
Is prevalence of underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 rising or falling in Middle Africa (UNSDG)?
Over the last ten years it is down 19.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Middle 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 Middle Africa (UNSDG). Statizoid, drawing on UNICEF. Retrieved 12 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/prevalence-of-underweight-among-adults-bmi-18-5-crude-estimate/middle-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