Prevalence of underweight, weight for age in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan: Prevalence of underweight, weight for age was 9.2% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Prevalence of underweight, weight for age in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, 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 Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan stood at 9.2%. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
The figure is down 2.5% on the previous year and down 22.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of underweight, weight for age in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan peaked at 16.5% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 9.2%, in 2024.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.
Prevalence of underweight, weight for age in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, year by year
| Year | % of children under 5 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 16.5% | — |
| 2001 | 16.1% | -2.3% |
| 2002 | 15.7% | -2.3% |
| 2003 | 15.4% | -2.3% |
| 2004 | 15.0% | -2.3% |
| 2005 | 14.7% | -2.3% |
| 2006 | 14.3% | -2.3% |
| 2007 | 14.0% | -2.4% |
| 2008 | 13.7% | -2.4% |
| 2009 | 13.3% | -2.4% |
| 2010 | 13.0% | -2.3% |
| 2011 | 12.7% | -2.4% |
| 2012 | 12.4% | -2.4% |
| 2013 | 12.1% | -2.4% |
| 2014 | 11.8% | -2.4% |
| 2015 | 11.5% | -2.5% |
| 2016 | 11.2% | -2.4% |
| 2017 | 11.0% | -2.4% |
| 2018 | 10.7% | -2.5% |
| 2019 | 10.4% | -2.4% |
| 2020 | 10.2% | -2.5% |
| 2021 | 9.9% | -2.5% |
| 2022 | 9.7% | -2.4% |
| 2023 | 9.4% | -2.5% |
| 2024 | 9.2% | -2.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 14.9% | 13.3% | 16.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 11.7% | 10.4% | 13.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 9.7% | 9.2% | 10.2% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
- 5 Burundi 28.3% compare
- 6 Democratic Republic of Congo 25.0% compare
- 7 Nigeria 24.4% compare
- 8 Laos 24.3% compare
- 9 Pakistan 23.1% compare
- 10 Madagascar 22.6% compare
- 11 Mauritania 22.4% compare
More health data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
- Population ages 40-44, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 35-39, male, annual growth rate 1.93 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 35-39, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 35-39, male, per capita 0.0387 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 40-44, female, annual growth rate 3.33 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 40-44, male, annual growth rate 3.14 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 40-44, male, per capita 0.0337 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 40-44, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 35-39, female, per capita 0.0344 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 40-44, female, per capita 0.0305 units per person (2025)
All data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan →
Frequently asked questions
- What is prevalence of underweight, weight for age in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan?
- Prevalence of underweight, weight for age in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan was 9.2% 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 Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan?
- The highest recorded value was 16.5% in 2000.
- What is the lowest prevalence of underweight, weight for age recorded in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 9.2% in 2024.
- How does Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan rank for prevalence of underweight, weight for age?
- Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan ranks 8th out of 14 groups with data for 2024.
- Is prevalence of underweight, weight for age rising or falling in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 22.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan 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.