Prevalence of underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 in Nigeria
Nigeria: Prevalence of underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 was 9.61 in 2022. ▼ Falling
Latest (2022)
9.61
Change on year
up 0.4%
World rank
36th
of 193 countries
All-time high
15.71
in 1990
All-time low
9.51
in 2016
Years of data
33
1990–2022
Prevalence of underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 in Nigeria, 1990–2022
Source: UNICEF.
Analysis
In 2022, prevalence of underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 in Nigeria stood at 9.61.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.4% on the previous year and down 1.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 in Nigeria peaked at 15.71 in 1990 and was at its lowest, 9.51, in 2016.
That places Nigeria 36th out of 193 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 33 years of available data.
Prevalence of underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 15.71 | — |
| 1991 | 15.43 | -1.8% |
| 1992 | 15.16 | -1.7% |
| 1993 | 14.89 | -1.8% |
| 1994 | 14.62 | -1.8% |
| 1995 | 14.34 | -1.9% |
| 1996 | 14.06 | -2.0% |
| 1997 | 13.77 | -2.1% |
| 1998 | 13.47 | -2.2% |
| 1999 | 13.17 | -2.2% |
| 2000 | 12.86 | -2.4% |
| 2001 | 12.55 | -2.4% |
| 2002 | 12.24 | -2.5% |
| 2003 | 11.92 | -2.6% |
| 2004 | 11.61 | -2.6% |
| 2005 | 11.31 | -2.6% |
| 2006 | 11.03 | -2.5% |
| 2007 | 10.75 | -2.5% |
| 2008 | 10.5 | -2.3% |
| 2009 | 10.26 | -2.3% |
| 2010 | 10.06 | -1.9% |
| 2011 | 9.89 | -1.7% |
| 2012 | 9.75 | -1.4% |
| 2013 | 9.65 | -1.0% |
| 2014 | 9.58 | -0.7% |
| 2015 | 9.54 | -0.4% |
| 2016 | 9.51 | -0.3% |
| 2017 | 9.51 | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 9.51 | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 9.53 | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 9.55 | +0.2% |
| 2021 | 9.57 | +0.2% |
| 2022 | 9.61 | +0.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 14.46 | 13.17 | 15.71 | 10 |
| 2000s | 11.5 | 10.26 | 12.86 | 10 |
| 2010s | 9.65 | 9.51 | 10.06 | 10 |
| 2020s | 9.58 | 9.55 | 9.61 | 3 |
Countries ranked near Nigeria
- 33 Philippines 9.87 compare
- 34 Angola 9.81 compare
- 35 Guinea 9.79 compare
- 37 Guinea-Bissau 9.4 compare
- 38 Korea, Democratic People's Republic of 9.34 compare
- 39 Mali 9.28 compare
More health data for Nigeria
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.08 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.8137 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,301 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 257,921 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 14 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 1.14 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0711 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 1.17 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is prevalence of underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 in Nigeria?
- Prevalence of underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 in Nigeria was 9.61 in 2022, according to UNICEF.
- What is the highest prevalence of underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 15.71 in 1990.
- What is the lowest prevalence of underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 9.51 in 2016.
- How does Nigeria rank for prevalence of underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5?
- Nigeria ranks 36th out of 193 countries with data for 2022.
- Is prevalence of underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Nigeria 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
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