Prevalence of underweight, weight for age in Nepal
Nepal: Prevalence of underweight, weight for age was 18.3% in 2022. ▼ Falling
Prevalence of underweight, weight for age in Nepal, 1995–2022
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
The most recent figure for prevalence of underweight, weight for age in Nepal is 18.3%, measured in 2022. That is the lowest value across all 11 years on record.
The figure is down 25.0% on the previous year and down 36.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of underweight, weight for age in Nepal peaked at 42.8% in 1996 and was at its lowest, 18.3%, in 2022.
Nepal ranks 19th of 96 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 11 years of available data.
Prevalence of underweight, weight for age in Nepal, year by year
| Year | % of children under 5 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 42.6% | — |
| 1996 | 42.8% | +0.5% |
| 1998 | 36.5% | -14.7% |
| 2001 | 42.8% | +17.3% |
| 2006 | 38.6% | -9.8% |
| 2010 | 31.1% | -19.4% |
| 2011 | 28.9% | -7.1% |
| 2014 | 29.7% | +2.8% |
| 2016 | 27.0% | -9.1% |
| 2019 | 24.4% | -9.6% |
| 2022 | 18.3% | -25.0% |
Nepal compared with similar countries
- Nepal's 18.3% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 11.6%, 1.6× the median. (38 countries reporting)
- Nepal's 18.3% is above the median for South Asia, which is 17.7%, 1.0× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 40.6% | 36.5% | 42.8% | 3 |
| 2000s | 40.7% | 38.6% | 42.8% | 2 |
| 2010s | 28.2% | 24.4% | 31.1% | 5 |
| 2020s | 18.3% | 18.3% | 18.3% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Nepal
- 16 Guinea-Bissau 18.8% compare
- 17 Afghanistan 18.4% compare
- 17 Central African Republic 18.4% compare
- 20 Chad 18.2% compare
- 21 Djibouti 17.7% compare
- 22 Sri Lanka 17.1% compare
More health data for Nepal
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.95 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.8518 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,326 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 955 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 3 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -1.17 % 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 0.0451 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -2.11 % 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 Nepal?
- Prevalence of underweight, weight for age in Nepal was 18.3% 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 Nepal?
- The highest recorded value was 42.8% in 1996.
- What is the lowest prevalence of underweight, weight for age recorded in Nepal?
- The lowest recorded value was 18.3% in 2022.
- How does Nepal rank for prevalence of underweight, weight for age?
- Nepal ranks 19th out of 96 countries with data for 2022.
- Is prevalence of underweight, weight for age rising or falling in Nepal?
- Over the last ten years it is down 36.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Nepal 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.