Prevalence of underweight, weight for age in Mali
Mali: Prevalence of underweight, weight for age was 15.0% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Prevalence of underweight, weight for age in Mali, 1987–2024
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
The most recent figure for prevalence of underweight, weight for age in Mali is 15.0%, measured in 2024.
That represents a change of down 18.9% on the previous year and down 37.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of underweight, weight for age in Mali peaked at 39.7% in 1996 and was at its lowest, 14.9%, in 2020.
That places Mali 31st out of 96 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 16 years of available data.
Prevalence of underweight, weight for age in Mali, year by year
| Year | % of children under 5 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1987 | 27.3% | — |
| 1996 | 39.7% | +45.4% |
| 2001 | 30.0% | -24.4% |
| 2006 | 27.9% | -7.0% |
| 2010 | 18.9% | -32.3% |
| 2011 | 20.0% | +5.8% |
| 2014 | 24.1% | +20.5% |
| 2015 | 25.0% | +3.7% |
| 2016 | 20.2% | -19.2% |
| 2017 | 17.1% | -15.3% |
| 2018 | 18.6% | +8.8% |
| 2019 | 18.5% | -0.5% |
| 2020 | 14.9% | -19.5% |
| 2021 | 17.5% | +17.4% |
| 2022 | 18.5% | +5.7% |
| 2024 | 15.0% | -18.9% |
Mali compared with similar countries
- Mali's 15.0% is below the median for low income countries, which is 16.9%, 89% of the median. (21 countries reporting)
- Mali's 15.0% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 14.3%, 1.0× the median. (34 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 27.3% | 27.3% | 27.3% | 1 |
| 1990s | 39.7% | 39.7% | 39.7% | 1 |
| 2000s | 28.9% | 27.9% | 30.0% | 2 |
| 2010s | 20.3% | 17.1% | 25.0% | 8 |
| 2020s | 16.5% | 14.9% | 18.5% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Mali
More health data for Mali
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.65 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 1.18 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 878 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 24,194 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 14 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 2.27 % 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 0.0853 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 2.19 % 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 Mali?
- Prevalence of underweight, weight for age in Mali was 15.0% 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 Mali?
- The highest recorded value was 39.7% in 1996.
- What is the lowest prevalence of underweight, weight for age recorded in Mali?
- The lowest recorded value was 14.9% in 2020.
- How does Mali rank for prevalence of underweight, weight for age?
- Mali ranks 31st out of 96 countries with data for 2024.
- Is prevalence of underweight, weight for age rising or falling in Mali?
- Over the last ten years it is down 37.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Mali 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.