Prevalence of underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 in Southern Africa (UNSDG)
Southern Africa (UNSDG): Prevalence of underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 was 5.73 in 2022. ▼ Falling
Prevalence of underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 in Southern Africa (UNSDG), 2000–2022
Source: UNICEF.
Analysis
Southern Africa (UNSDG) recorded 5.73 for prevalence of underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 in 2022. That is the lowest value across all 23 years on record.
That represents a change of down 0.2% on the previous year and down 11.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 in Southern Africa (UNSDG) peaked at 8.02 in 2000 and was at its lowest, 5.73, in 2022.
That places Southern Africa (UNSDG) 84th 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 Southern Africa (UNSDG), year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 8.02 | — |
| 2001 | 7.92 | -1.3% |
| 2002 | 7.81 | -1.3% |
| 2003 | 7.61 | -2.6% |
| 2004 | 7.5 | -1.5% |
| 2005 | 7.39 | -1.5% |
| 2006 | 7.19 | -2.7% |
| 2007 | 7.08 | -1.5% |
| 2008 | 6.97 | -1.6% |
| 2009 | 6.86 | -1.6% |
| 2010 | 6.75 | -1.5% |
| 2011 | 6.55 | -3.0% |
| 2012 | 6.44 | -1.7% |
| 2013 | 6.32 | -1.8% |
| 2014 | 6.21 | -1.7% |
| 2015 | 6.18 | -0.5% |
| 2016 | 6.08 | -1.6% |
| 2017 | 5.98 | -1.7% |
| 2018 | 5.87 | -1.8% |
| 2019 | 5.86 | -0.3% |
| 2020 | 5.84 | -0.3% |
| 2021 | 5.74 | -1.7% |
| 2022 | 5.73 | -0.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 7.43 | 6.86 | 8.02 | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.22 | 5.86 | 6.75 | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.77 | 5.73 | 5.84 | 3 |
Countries ranked near Southern Africa (UNSDG)
More health data for Southern Africa (UNSDG)
- Live Births Surviving to Age 1 1,264 (2100)
- Prevalence of overweight among adults, BMI ≥ 25 53.64 (2022)
- Prevalence of obesity among adults, BMI ≥ 30 29.65 (2022)
- Percentage of overweight among children aged 5-19 years, BMI > +1 20.11 (2022)
- Prevalence of obesity among children aged 5-19 years, BMI > +2 6.85 (2022)
- Percentage of thinness among children aged 5-19 years, BMI < -2 3.92 (2022)
- Prevalence of low birth weight among new-borns 16.33 (2020)
- Weight-for-height <-2 SD 3 (2024)
- Weight-for-height <-3 SD 0.4 (2024)
- Universal health coverage index for reproductive, maternal, newborn 74.7 (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is prevalence of underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 in Southern Africa (UNSDG)?
- Prevalence of underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 in Southern Africa (UNSDG) was 5.73 in 2022, according to UNICEF.
- What is the highest prevalence of underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 recorded in Southern Africa (UNSDG)?
- The highest recorded value was 8.02 in 2000.
- What is the lowest prevalence of underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 recorded in Southern Africa (UNSDG)?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.73 in 2022.
- How does Southern Africa (UNSDG) rank for prevalence of underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5?
- Southern Africa (UNSDG) ranks 84th out of 156 groups with data for 2022.
- Is prevalence of underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 rising or falling in Southern Africa (UNSDG)?
- Over the last ten years it is down 11.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Southern 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 23 observations, free to reuse under UNICEF Terms of Use (attribution required).