Prevalence of underweight, weight for age in Kenya
Kenya: Prevalence of underweight, weight for age was 9.8% in 2022. ▼ Falling
Prevalence of underweight, weight for age in Kenya, 1993–2022
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
The most recent figure for prevalence of underweight, weight for age in Kenya is 9.8%, measured in 2022. That is the lowest value across all 11 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 21.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of underweight, weight for age in Kenya peaked at 19.4% in 1993 and was at its lowest, 9.8%, in 2022.
That places Kenya 48th out of 96 countries with data for 2022, 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 Kenya, year by year
| Year | % of children under 5 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1993 | 19.4% | — |
| 1994 | 17.9% | -7.7% |
| 1998 | 17.8% | -0.6% |
| 2000 | 17.1% | -3.9% |
| 2003 | 16.4% | -4.1% |
| 2005 | 18.0% | +9.8% |
| 2008 | 16.5% | -8.3% |
| 2011 | 12.4% | -24.8% |
| 2014 | 11.2% | -9.7% |
| 2016 | 13.0% | +16.1% |
| 2022 | 9.8% | -24.6% |
Kenya compared with similar countries
- Kenya's 9.8% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 11.6%, 84% of the median. (38 countries reporting)
- Kenya's 9.8% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 14.3%, 69% of the median. (34 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 18.4% | 17.8% | 19.4% | 3 |
| 2000s | 17.0% | 16.4% | 18.0% | 4 |
| 2010s | 12.2% | 11.2% | 13.0% | 3 |
| 2020s | 9.8% | 9.8% | 9.8% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Kenya
More health data for Kenya
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.44 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.6026 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,119 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 16,059 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 89 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 1.28 % 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 0.0621 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 1.28 % 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 Kenya?
- Prevalence of underweight, weight for age in Kenya was 9.8% in 2022, 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 Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 19.4% in 1993.
- What is the lowest prevalence of underweight, weight for age recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 9.8% in 2022.
- How does Kenya rank for prevalence of underweight, weight for age?
- Kenya ranks 48th out of 96 countries with data for 2022.
- Is prevalence of underweight, weight for age rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is down 21.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Kenya 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.