Prevalence of underweight, weight for age in Low income
Low income: Prevalence of underweight, weight for age was 18.0% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Prevalence of underweight, weight for age in Low income, 2000–2024
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 2024, prevalence of underweight, weight for age in Low income stood at 18.0%. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
That represents a change of down 2.1% on the previous year and down 18.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of underweight, weight for age in Low income peaked at 29.1% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 18.0%, in 2024.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.
Prevalence of underweight, weight for age in Low income, year by year
| Year | % of children under 5 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 29.1% | — |
| 2001 | 28.6% | -1.9% |
| 2002 | 28.0% | -1.9% |
| 2003 | 27.5% | -1.9% |
| 2004 | 27.0% | -1.9% |
| 2005 | 26.5% | -1.9% |
| 2006 | 26.0% | -1.9% |
| 2007 | 25.5% | -1.9% |
| 2008 | 25.0% | -1.9% |
| 2009 | 24.5% | -1.9% |
| 2010 | 24.0% | -2.0% |
| 2011 | 23.6% | -2.0% |
| 2012 | 23.1% | -2.0% |
| 2013 | 22.6% | -2.0% |
| 2014 | 22.2% | -2.0% |
| 2015 | 21.7% | -2.0% |
| 2016 | 21.3% | -2.0% |
| 2017 | 20.9% | -2.0% |
| 2018 | 20.4% | -2.1% |
| 2019 | 20.0% | -2.1% |
| 2020 | 19.6% | -2.0% |
| 2021 | 19.2% | -2.1% |
| 2022 | 18.8% | -2.1% |
| 2023 | 18.4% | -2.1% |
| 2024 | 18.0% | -2.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 26.8% | 24.5% | 29.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 22.0% | 20.0% | 24.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 18.8% | 18.0% | 19.6% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Low income
More health data for Low income
- Population ages 40-44, female, per capita 0.0225 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 35-39, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 35-39, male, per capita 0.027 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 40-44, female, annual growth rate 3.49 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 40-44, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 40-44, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 45-49, female, annual growth rate 3.59 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 40-44, male, per capita 0.0218 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 35-39, male, annual growth rate 3.86 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 40-44, male, annual growth rate 3.55 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is prevalence of underweight, weight for age in Low income?
- Prevalence of underweight, weight for age in Low income was 18.0% in 2024, 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 Low income?
- The highest recorded value was 29.1% in 2000.
- What is the lowest prevalence of underweight, weight for age recorded in Low income?
- The lowest recorded value was 18.0% in 2024.
- How does Low income rank for prevalence of underweight, weight for age?
- Low income ranks 2nd out of 14 groups with data for 2024.
- Is prevalence of underweight, weight for age rising or falling in Low income?
- Over the last ten years it is down 18.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Low income 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.