Prevalence of underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 in Sub-Saharan Africa (UNSDG)
Sub-Saharan Africa (UNSDG): Prevalence of underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 was 12 in 2022. ▼ Falling
Prevalence of underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 in Sub-Saharan Africa (UNSDG), 2000–2022
Source: UNICEF.
Analysis
Sub-Saharan Africa (UNSDG) recorded 12 for prevalence of underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 in 2022. That is the lowest value across all 23 years on record.
The figure is down 0.5% on the previous year and down 7.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 in Sub-Saharan Africa (UNSDG) peaked at 15.35 in 2000 and was at its lowest, 12, in 2022.
That places Sub-Saharan Africa (UNSDG) 37th out of 156 groups with data for 2022, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 23 years of available data.
Prevalence of underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 in Sub-Saharan Africa (UNSDG), year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 15.35 | — |
| 2001 | 15.16 | -1.3% |
| 2002 | 14.94 | -1.4% |
| 2003 | 14.73 | -1.4% |
| 2004 | 14.53 | -1.4% |
| 2005 | 14.32 | -1.5% |
| 2006 | 14.1 | -1.5% |
| 2007 | 13.9 | -1.4% |
| 2008 | 13.69 | -1.5% |
| 2009 | 13.48 | -1.5% |
| 2010 | 13.29 | -1.4% |
| 2011 | 13.09 | -1.5% |
| 2012 | 12.89 | -1.5% |
| 2013 | 12.74 | -1.2% |
| 2014 | 12.62 | -0.9% |
| 2015 | 12.48 | -1.1% |
| 2016 | 12.38 | -0.8% |
| 2017 | 12.3 | -0.6% |
| 2018 | 12.21 | -0.8% |
| 2019 | 12.14 | -0.5% |
| 2020 | 12.09 | -0.4% |
| 2021 | 12.05 | -0.3% |
| 2022 | 12 | -0.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 14.42 | 13.48 | 15.35 | 10 |
| 2010s | 12.61 | 12.14 | 13.29 | 10 |
| 2020s | 12.05 | 12 | 12.09 | 3 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa (UNSDG)
- 34 Angola 9.81 compare
- 35 Guinea 9.79 compare
- 36 Nigeria 9.61 compare
- 37 Guinea-Bissau 9.4 compare
- 38 Korea, Democratic People's Republic of 9.34 compare
- 39 Mali 9.28 compare
- 40 Equatorial Guinea 9.01 compare
More health data for Sub-Saharan Africa (UNSDG)
- Child deaths (aged 1-4 years), annual growth rate -2.51 % change on previous year (2024)
- Live Births Surviving to Age 1 46,890 (2100)
- Child deaths 936,884 (2024)
- Mortality rate age 1-11 months 21.18 (2024)
- Deaths age 1-59 months 1.75 million (2024)
- Deaths age 1-11 months 809,073 (2024)
- Mortality rate 1-59 months 46.13 (2024)
- Child mortality rate 25.49 (2024)
- Neonatal deaths as a percentage of under-five deaths 0.3831 (2024)
- Deaths aged 20 to 24 250,104 (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is prevalence of underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 in Sub-Saharan Africa (UNSDG)?
- Prevalence of underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 in Sub-Saharan Africa (UNSDG) was 12 in 2022, according to UNICEF.
- What is the highest prevalence of underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa (UNSDG)?
- The highest recorded value was 15.35 in 2000.
- What is the lowest prevalence of underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa (UNSDG)?
- The lowest recorded value was 12 in 2022.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa (UNSDG) rank for prevalence of underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5?
- Sub-Saharan Africa (UNSDG) ranks 37th out of 156 groups with data for 2022.
- Is prevalence of underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa (UNSDG)?
- Over the last ten years it is down 7.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan 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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