Prevalence of underweight, weight for age in Malaysia
Malaysia: Prevalence of underweight, weight for age was 15.3% in 2022. ▼ Falling
Prevalence of underweight, weight for age in Malaysia, 1990–2022
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
Malaysia recorded 15.3% for prevalence of underweight, weight for age in 2022.
The figure is up 3.4% on the previous year and up 22.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of underweight, weight for age in Malaysia peaked at 23.1% in 1991 and was at its lowest, 12.5%, in 2015.
Malaysia ranks 29th of 96 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 12 years of available data.
Prevalence of underweight, weight for age in Malaysia, year by year
| Year | % of children under 5 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 22.1% | — |
| 1991 | 23.1% | +4.5% |
| 1992 | 22.6% | -2.2% |
| 1993 | 20.5% | -9.3% |
| 1994 | 19.7% | -3.9% |
| 1995 | 17.7% | -10.2% |
| 1999 | 16.7% | -5.6% |
| 2006 | 12.7% | -24.0% |
| 2015 | 12.5% | -1.6% |
| 2016 | 13.7% | +9.6% |
| 2019 | 14.8% | +8.0% |
| 2022 | 15.3% | +3.4% |
Malaysia compared with similar countries
- Malaysia's 15.3% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 4.0%, 3.8× the median. (26 countries reporting)
- Malaysia's 15.3% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 15.3%, 1.0× the median. (13 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 20.3% | 16.7% | 23.1% | 7 |
| 2000s | 12.7% | 12.7% | 12.7% | 1 |
| 2010s | 13.7% | 12.5% | 14.8% | 3 |
| 2020s | 15.3% | 15.3% | 15.3% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Malaysia
More health data for Malaysia
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -0.9119 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.2888 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,250 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 652 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 18 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -0.7207 % 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 0.0297 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -0.5991 % 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 Malaysia?
- Prevalence of underweight, weight for age in Malaysia was 15.3% 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 Malaysia?
- The highest recorded value was 23.1% in 1991.
- What is the lowest prevalence of underweight, weight for age recorded in Malaysia?
- The lowest recorded value was 12.5% in 2015.
- How does Malaysia rank for prevalence of underweight, weight for age?
- Malaysia ranks 29th out of 96 countries with data for 2022.
- Is prevalence of underweight, weight for age rising or falling in Malaysia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 22.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Malaysia 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.