Prevalence of underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 (Crude estimate) in Somalia
Somalia: Prevalence of underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 (Crude estimate) was 19 in 2022. ▼ Falling
Latest (2022)
19
Change on year
up 0.2%
World rank
7th
of 193 countries
All-time high
20.86
in 1990
All-time low
18.88
in 2016
Years of data
33
1990–2022
Prevalence of underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 in Somalia, 1990–2022
Source: UNICEF.
Analysis
In 2022, prevalence of underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 in Somalia stood at 19.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.2% on the previous year and down 0.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 in Somalia peaked at 20.86 in 1990 and was at its lowest, 18.88, in 2016.
That places Somalia 7th out of 193 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the top 10%.
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 Somalia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 20.86 | — |
| 1991 | 20.79 | -0.3% |
| 1992 | 20.73 | -0.3% |
| 1993 | 20.68 | -0.2% |
| 1994 | 20.64 | -0.2% |
| 1995 | 20.6 | -0.2% |
| 1996 | 20.55 | -0.2% |
| 1997 | 20.51 | -0.2% |
| 1998 | 20.46 | -0.2% |
| 1999 | 20.4 | -0.3% |
| 2000 | 20.34 | -0.3% |
| 2001 | 20.27 | -0.3% |
| 2002 | 20.19 | -0.4% |
| 2003 | 20.1 | -0.4% |
| 2004 | 20 | -0.5% |
| 2005 | 19.89 | -0.5% |
| 2006 | 19.76 | -0.7% |
| 2007 | 19.63 | -0.7% |
| 2008 | 19.52 | -0.6% |
| 2009 | 19.41 | -0.6% |
| 2010 | 19.3 | -0.6% |
| 2011 | 19.18 | -0.6% |
| 2012 | 19.07 | -0.6% |
| 2013 | 18.98 | -0.5% |
| 2014 | 18.92 | -0.3% |
| 2015 | 18.89 | -0.2% |
| 2016 | 18.88 | -0.1% |
| 2017 | 18.89 | +0.1% |
| 2018 | 18.89 | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 18.9 | +0.1% |
| 2020 | 18.92 | +0.1% |
| 2021 | 18.96 | +0.2% |
| 2022 | 19 | +0.2% |
Somalia compared with similar countries
- Somalia's 19 is above the median for low income countries, which is 11.53, 1.6× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Somalia's 19 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 9.5, 2.0× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 20.62 | 20.4 | 20.86 | 10 |
| 2000s | 19.91 | 19.41 | 20.34 | 10 |
| 2010s | 18.99 | 18.88 | 19.3 | 10 |
| 2020s | 18.96 | 18.92 | 19 | 3 |
Countries ranked near Somalia
- 4 East Timor 20.72 compare
- 5 Senegal 19.34 compare
- 6 Niger 19.03 compare
- 8 Madagascar 17.37 compare
- 9 South Sudan 17.1 compare
- 10 Sudan 16.09 compare
More health data for Somalia
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.41 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.8681 % change on previous year (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 32,421 (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 182 (2013)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 2.39 % 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 0.0897 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 2.38 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per capita 0.0926 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is prevalence of underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 in Somalia?
- Prevalence of underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 in Somalia was 19 in 2022, according to UNICEF.
- What is the highest prevalence of underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 recorded in Somalia?
- The highest recorded value was 20.86 in 1990.
- What is the lowest prevalence of underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 recorded in Somalia?
- The lowest recorded value was 18.88 in 2016.
- How does Somalia rank for prevalence of underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5?
- Somalia ranks 7th out of 193 countries with data for 2022.
- Is prevalence of underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 rising or falling in Somalia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Somalia 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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