Prevalence of underweight, weight for age in Korea
Korea: Prevalence of underweight, weight for age was 0.4% in 2020. ▼ Falling
Prevalence of underweight, weight for age in Korea, 2003–2020
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 2020, prevalence of underweight, weight for age in Korea stood at 0.4%. That is the lowest value across all 5 years on record.
The figure is down 55.6% on the previous year and down 50.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of underweight, weight for age in Korea peaked at 1.0% in 2014 and was at its lowest, 0.4%, in 2020.
That places Korea 95th out of 96 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the bottom quarter.
Prevalence of underweight, weight for age in Korea, year by year
| Year | % of children under 5 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 0.9% | — |
| 2011 | 0.8% | -11.1% |
| 2014 | 1.0% | +25.0% |
| 2017 | 0.9% | -10.0% |
| 2020 | 0.4% | -55.6% |
Korea compared with similar countries
- Korea's 0.4% is below the median for high income countries, which is 2.8%, 14% of the median. (11 countries reporting)
- Korea's 0.4% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 15.3%, 3% of the median. (13 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 0.9% | 0.9% | 0.9% | 1 |
| 2010s | 0.9% | 0.8% | 1.0% | 3 |
| 2020s | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.4% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Korea
- 92 Türkiye 1.5% compare
- 93 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 0.6% compare
- 94 Chile 0.5% compare
- 95 United States of America 0.4% compare
More health data for Korea
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.43 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.1935 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 2,072 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 69 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -2.66 % 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 0.0118 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -2.76 % 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 Korea?
- Prevalence of underweight, weight for age in Korea was 0.4% in 2020, 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 Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 1.0% in 2014.
- What is the lowest prevalence of underweight, weight for age recorded in Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.4% in 2020.
- How does Korea rank for prevalence of underweight, weight for age?
- Korea ranks 95th out of 96 countries with data for 2020.
- Is prevalence of underweight, weight for age rising or falling in Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 50.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Korea 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.