Prevalence of underweight, weight for age, female in Laos
Laos: Prevalence of underweight, weight for age, female was 23.4% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Prevalence of underweight, weight for age, female in Laos, 2000–2023
Source: UNICEF, WHO, World Bank: Joint child Malnutrition Estimates (JME). Aggregation is based on UNICEF, WHO, and the World Bank harmonized dataset (adjusted, comparable data) and methodology., UN Children'. Measured in % of children under 5.
Analysis
In 2023, prevalence of underweight, weight for age, female in Laos stood at 23.4%.
The figure is down 11.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of underweight, weight for age, female in Laos peaked at 34.1% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 20.6%, in 2017.
That places Laos 7th out of 83 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.
Prevalence of underweight, weight for age, female in Laos, year by year
| Year | % of children under 5 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 34.1% | — |
| 2006 | 30.5% | -10.6% |
| 2011 | 26.4% | -13.4% |
| 2015 | 23.8% | -9.8% |
| 2017 | 20.6% | -13.4% |
| 2023 | 23.4% | +13.6% |
Laos compared with similar countries
- Laos's 23.4% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 10.8%, 2.2× the median. (34 countries reporting)
- Laos's 23.4% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 14.7%, 1.6× the median. (12 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 32.3% | 30.5% | 34.1% | 2 |
| 2010s | 23.6% | 20.6% | 26.4% | 3 |
| 2020s | 23.4% | 23.4% | 23.4% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Laos
- 4 East Timor 30.2% compare
- 5 Burundi 25.6% compare
- 6 Nigeria 23.7% compare
- 8 Democratic Republic of Congo 22.9% compare
- 9 Pakistan 22.1% compare
- 10 Bangladesh 21.8% compare
More health data for Laos
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -2.76 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.5667 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,260 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 317 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 15 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -0.5161 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0489 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -0.5055 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is prevalence of underweight, weight for age, female in Laos?
- Prevalence of underweight, weight for age, female in Laos was 23.4% in 2023, according to UNICEF, WHO, World Bank: Joint child Malnutrition Estimates (JME). Aggregation is based on UNICEF, WHO, and the World Bank harmonized dataset (adjusted, comparable data) and methodology., UN Children'.
- What is the highest prevalence of underweight, weight for age, female recorded in Laos?
- The highest recorded value was 34.1% in 2000.
- What is the lowest prevalence of underweight, weight for age, female recorded in Laos?
- The lowest recorded value was 20.6% in 2017.
- How does Laos rank for prevalence of underweight, weight for age, female?
- Laos ranks 7th out of 83 countries with data for 2023.
- Is prevalence of underweight, weight for age, female rising or falling in Laos?
- Over the last ten years it is down 11.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Laos data come from?
- The figures come from UNICEF, WHO, World Bank: Joint child Malnutrition Estimates (JME). Aggregation is based on UNICEF, WHO, and the World Bank harmonized dataset (adjusted, comparable data) and methodology., UN Children', published as part of Prevalence of underweight, weight for age, female (% of children under 5). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Prevalence of underweight, female, is the percentage of girls under age 5 whose weight for age is more than two standard deviations below the median for the international reference population ages 0-59 months. The data are based on the WHO's 2006 Child Growth Standards.