Prevalence of underweight, weight for age in Uruguay
Uruguay: Prevalence of underweight, weight for age was 1.8% in 2018. ▼ Falling
Prevalence of underweight, weight for age in Uruguay, 1987–2018
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 2018, prevalence of underweight, weight for age in Uruguay stood at 1.8%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 45.5% on the previous year and down 53.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of underweight, weight for age in Uruguay peaked at 6.5% in 1987 and was at its lowest, 1.1%, in 2013.
That places Uruguay 89th out of 96 countries with data for 2018, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 10 years of available data.
Prevalence of underweight, weight for age in Uruguay, year by year
| Year | % of children under 5 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1987 | 6.5% | — |
| 1999 | 4.7% | -27.7% |
| 2002 | 5.4% | +14.9% |
| 2003 | 5.0% | -7.4% |
| 2004 | 6.0% | +20.0% |
| 2007 | 3.9% | -35.0% |
| 2011 | 3.9% | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 1.1% | -71.8% |
| 2016 | 3.3% | +200.0% |
| 2018 | 1.8% | -45.5% |
Uruguay compared with similar countries
- Uruguay's 1.8% is below the median for high income countries, which is 2.8%, 64% of the median. (11 countries reporting)
- Uruguay's 1.8% is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 3.7%, 49% of the median. (17 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 6.5% | 6.5% | 6.5% | 1 |
| 1990s | 4.7% | 4.7% | 4.7% | 1 |
| 2000s | 5.1% | 3.9% | 6.0% | 4 |
| 2010s | 2.5% | 1.1% | 3.9% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Uruguay
- 86 Palestine, State of 2.1% compare
- 87 Kazakhstan 2.0% compare
- 88 Mongolia 1.9% compare
- 89 Uzbekistan 1.8% compare
- 91 Tunisia 1.6% compare
- 92 Türkiye 1.5% compare
More health data for Uruguay
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.6727 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,631 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 31 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -1.79 % 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 0.0241 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -1.84 % 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 Uruguay?
- Prevalence of underweight, weight for age in Uruguay was 1.8% in 2018, 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 Uruguay?
- The highest recorded value was 6.5% in 1987.
- What is the lowest prevalence of underweight, weight for age recorded in Uruguay?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.1% in 2013.
- How does Uruguay rank for prevalence of underweight, weight for age?
- Uruguay ranks 89th out of 96 countries with data for 2018.
- Is prevalence of underweight, weight for age rising or falling in Uruguay?
- Over the last ten years it is down 53.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Uruguay 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.