Prevalence of underweight, weight for age in Egypt
Egypt: Prevalence of underweight, weight for age was 3.7% in 2021. ▼ Falling
Prevalence of underweight, weight for age in Egypt, 1988–2021
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 2021, prevalence of underweight, weight for age in Egypt stood at 3.7%. That is the lowest value across all 11 years on record.
The figure is down 45.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of underweight, weight for age in Egypt peaked at 10.8% in 1995 and was at its lowest, 3.7%, in 2021.
That places Egypt 68th out of 96 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 11 years of available data.
Prevalence of underweight, weight for age in Egypt, year by year
| Year | % of children under 5 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1988 | 10.5% | — |
| 1991 | 10.5% | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 8.2% | -21.9% |
| 1995 | 10.8% | +31.7% |
| 1997 | 10.2% | -5.6% |
| 1998 | 9.4% | -7.8% |
| 2003 | 8.7% | -7.4% |
| 2005 | 5.4% | -37.9% |
| 2008 | 6.8% | +25.9% |
| 2014 | 7.0% | +2.9% |
| 2021 | 3.7% | -47.1% |
Egypt compared with similar countries
- Egypt's 3.7% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 11.6%, 32% of the median. (38 countries reporting)
- Egypt's 3.7% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 3.8%, 97% of the median. (16 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 10.5% | 10.5% | 10.5% | 1 |
| 1990s | 9.8% | 8.2% | 10.8% | 5 |
| 2000s | 7.0% | 5.4% | 8.7% | 3 |
| 2010s | 7.0% | 7.0% | 7.0% | 1 |
| 2020s | 3.7% | 3.7% | 3.7% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Egypt
More health data for Egypt
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.46 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.7884 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 946 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 7,225 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 0.3993 % 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 0.0487 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 0.4524 % 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 in Egypt?
- Prevalence of underweight, weight for age in Egypt was 3.7% in 2021, 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 recorded in Egypt?
- The highest recorded value was 10.8% in 1995.
- What is the lowest prevalence of underweight, weight for age recorded in Egypt?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.7% in 2021.
- How does Egypt rank for prevalence of underweight, weight for age?
- Egypt ranks 68th out of 96 countries with data for 2021.
- Is prevalence of underweight, weight for age rising or falling in Egypt?
- Over the last ten years it is down 45.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Egypt 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 (% of children under 5). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Prevalence of underweight children is the percentage of children 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.