Prevalence of underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 in Zambia
Zambia: Prevalence of underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 was 8.05 in 2022. ▼ Falling
Latest (2022)
8.05
Change on year
down 2.4%
World rank
47th
of 193 countries
All-time high
16
in 1990
All-time low
8.05
in 2022
Years of data
33
1990–2022
Prevalence of underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 in Zambia, 1990–2022
Source: UNICEF.
Analysis
In 2022, prevalence of underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 in Zambia stood at 8.05. That is the lowest value across all 33 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.4% on the previous year and down 24.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 in Zambia peaked at 16 in 1990 and was at its lowest, 8.05, in 2022.
Zambia ranks 47th of 193 countries on this measure, 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 Zambia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 16 | — |
| 1991 | 15.86 | -0.9% |
| 1992 | 15.72 | -0.9% |
| 1993 | 15.58 | -0.9% |
| 1994 | 15.43 | -1.0% |
| 1995 | 15.28 | -1.0% |
| 1996 | 15.12 | -1.0% |
| 1997 | 14.95 | -1.1% |
| 1998 | 14.77 | -1.2% |
| 1999 | 14.57 | -1.4% |
| 2000 | 14.37 | -1.4% |
| 2001 | 14.14 | -1.6% |
| 2002 | 13.9 | -1.7% |
| 2003 | 13.64 | -1.9% |
| 2004 | 13.35 | -2.1% |
| 2005 | 13.05 | -2.2% |
| 2006 | 12.74 | -2.4% |
| 2007 | 12.41 | -2.6% |
| 2008 | 12.07 | -2.7% |
| 2009 | 11.72 | -2.9% |
| 2010 | 11.36 | -3.1% |
| 2011 | 11 | -3.2% |
| 2012 | 10.65 | -3.2% |
| 2013 | 10.31 | -3.2% |
| 2014 | 9.99 | -3.1% |
| 2015 | 9.68 | -3.1% |
| 2016 | 9.4 | -2.9% |
| 2017 | 9.14 | -2.8% |
| 2018 | 8.89 | -2.7% |
| 2019 | 8.66 | -2.6% |
| 2020 | 8.45 | -2.4% |
| 2021 | 8.25 | -2.4% |
| 2022 | 8.05 | -2.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 15.33 | 14.57 | 16 | 10 |
| 2000s | 13.14 | 11.72 | 14.37 | 10 |
| 2010s | 9.91 | 8.66 | 11.36 | 10 |
| 2020s | 8.25 | 8.05 | 8.45 | 3 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
- 44 Mauritania 8.54 compare
- 45 Pakistan 8.4 compare
- 46 Lao People's Democratic Republic 8.11 compare
- 48 Benin 7.97 compare
- 49 Côte d'Ivoire 7.89 compare
- 50 Malawi 7.86 compare
More health data for Zambia
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.09 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.7971 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 809.3 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 8,894 deaths (2100)
- Population ages 05-09, female, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 05-09, female, per capita 0.0677 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 05-09, male, annual growth rate 1.59 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 05-09, male, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 05-09, male, per capita 0.0677 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 10-14, female, annual growth rate 1.51 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is prevalence of underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 in Zambia?
- Prevalence of underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 in Zambia was 8.05 in 2022, according to UNICEF.
- What is the highest prevalence of underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 recorded in Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 16 in 1990.
- What is the lowest prevalence of underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 8.05 in 2022.
- How does Zambia rank for prevalence of underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5?
- Zambia ranks 47th out of 193 countries with data for 2022.
- Is prevalence of underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 24.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Zambia 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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