Prevalence of underweight, weight for age in Mauritania
Mauritania: Prevalence of underweight, weight for age was 22.4% in 2022. ▼ Falling
Prevalence of underweight, weight for age in Mauritania, 1996–2022
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
Mauritania recorded 22.4% for prevalence of underweight, weight for age in 2022.
The figure is up 51.4% on the previous year and up 9.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of underweight, weight for age in Mauritania peaked at 29.7% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 14.8%, in 2021.
That places Mauritania 11th out of 96 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 12 years of available data.
Prevalence of underweight, weight for age in Mauritania, year by year
| Year | % of children under 5 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 20.3% | — |
| 2000 | 29.7% | +46.3% |
| 2007 | 25.5% | -14.1% |
| 2008 | 16.5% | -35.3% |
| 2011 | 24.4% | +47.9% |
| 2012 | 20.4% | -16.4% |
| 2015 | 24.9% | +22.1% |
| 2018 | 19.2% | -22.9% |
| 2019 | 17.3% | -9.9% |
| 2020 | 16.8% | -2.9% |
| 2021 | 14.8% | -11.9% |
| 2022 | 22.4% | +51.4% |
Mauritania compared with similar countries
- Mauritania's 22.4% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 11.6%, 1.9× the median. (38 countries reporting)
- Mauritania's 22.4% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 14.3%, 1.6× the median. (34 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 20.3% | 20.3% | 20.3% | 1 |
| 2000s | 23.9% | 16.5% | 29.7% | 3 |
| 2010s | 21.2% | 17.3% | 24.9% | 5 |
| 2020s | 18.0% | 14.8% | 22.4% | 3 |
Countries ranked near Mauritania
- 8 Lao People's Democratic Republic 24.3% compare
- 9 Pakistan 23.1% compare
- 10 Madagascar 22.6% compare
- 12 Bangladesh 21.7% compare
- 13 Ethiopia 21.2% compare
- 14 Benin 19.6% compare
More health data for Mauritania
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -0.8878 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 1.19 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 653 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 1,563 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 1.77 % 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 0.077 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 1.77 % 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 Mauritania?
- Prevalence of underweight, weight for age in Mauritania was 22.4% 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 Mauritania?
- The highest recorded value was 29.7% in 2000.
- What is the lowest prevalence of underweight, weight for age recorded in Mauritania?
- The lowest recorded value was 14.8% in 2021.
- How does Mauritania rank for prevalence of underweight, weight for age?
- Mauritania ranks 11th out of 96 countries with data for 2022.
- Is prevalence of underweight, weight for age rising or falling in Mauritania?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Mauritania 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.