Prevalence of underweight, weight for age in Ethiopia
Ethiopia: Prevalence of underweight, weight for age was 21.2% in 2019. ▼ Falling
Prevalence of underweight, weight for age in Ethiopia, 1992–2019
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
Ethiopia recorded 21.2% for prevalence of underweight, weight for age in 2019. That is the lowest value across all 7 years on record.
That represents a change of down 9.8% on the previous year and down 27.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of underweight, weight for age in Ethiopia peaked at 41.9% in 1992 and was at its lowest, 21.2%, in 2019.
That places Ethiopia 13th out of 96 countries with data for 2019, putting it in the top quarter.
Prevalence of underweight, weight for age in Ethiopia, year by year
| Year | % of children under 5 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1992 | 41.9% | — |
| 2000 | 41.8% | -0.2% |
| 2005 | 34.3% | -17.9% |
| 2011 | 29.2% | -14.9% |
| 2014 | 26.5% | -9.2% |
| 2016 | 23.5% | -11.3% |
| 2019 | 21.2% | -9.8% |
Ethiopia compared with similar countries
- Ethiopia's 21.2% is above the median for low income countries, which is 16.9%, 1.3× the median. (21 countries reporting)
- Ethiopia's 21.2% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 14.3%, 1.5× the median. (34 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 41.9% | 41.9% | 41.9% | 1 |
| 2000s | 38.0% | 34.3% | 41.8% | 2 |
| 2010s | 25.1% | 21.2% | 29.2% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Ethiopia
- 10 Madagascar 22.6% compare
- 11 Mauritania 22.4% compare
- 12 Bangladesh 21.7% compare
- 14 Benin 19.6% compare
- 15 Myanmar 19.5% compare
- 16 Guinea-Bissau 18.8% compare
More health data for Ethiopia
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.67 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.9494 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 744.3 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 19,997 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 148 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 1.34 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0709 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 1.36 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is prevalence of underweight, weight for age in Ethiopia?
- Prevalence of underweight, weight for age in Ethiopia was 21.2% in 2019, 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 Ethiopia?
- The highest recorded value was 41.9% in 1992.
- What is the lowest prevalence of underweight, weight for age recorded in Ethiopia?
- The lowest recorded value was 21.2% in 2019.
- How does Ethiopia rank for prevalence of underweight, weight for age?
- Ethiopia ranks 13th out of 96 countries with data for 2019.
- Is prevalence of underweight, weight for age rising or falling in Ethiopia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 27.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Ethiopia 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.