Prevalence of wasting, weight for height in India
India: Prevalence of wasting, weight for height was 18.7% in 2020. ▼ Falling
Prevalence of wasting, weight for height in India, 1989–2020
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
India recorded 18.7% for prevalence of wasting, weight for height in 2020.
The figure is up 10.7% on the previous year and down 6.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of wasting, weight for height in India peaked at 20.8% in 2015 and was at its lowest, 15.1%, in 2014.
That places India 1st out of 99 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 10 years of available data.
Prevalence of wasting, weight for height in India, year by year
| Year | % of children under 5 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 20.3% | — |
| 1991 | 20.0% | -1.5% |
| 1992 | 19.8% | -1.0% |
| 1997 | 18.4% | -7.1% |
| 1999 | 17.9% | -2.7% |
| 2006 | 20.0% | +11.7% |
| 2014 | 15.1% | -24.5% |
| 2015 | 20.8% | +37.7% |
| 2017 | 16.9% | -18.8% |
| 2020 | 18.7% | +10.7% |
India compared with similar countries
- India's 18.7% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 5.1%, 3.7× the median. (38 countries reporting)
- India's 18.7% is above the median for South Asia, which is 9.2%, 2.0× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 20.3% | 20.3% | 20.3% | 1 |
| 1990s | 19.0% | 17.9% | 20.0% | 4 |
| 2000s | 20.0% | 20.0% | 20.0% | 1 |
| 2010s | 17.6% | 15.1% | 20.8% | 3 |
| 2020s | 18.7% | 18.7% | 18.7% | 1 |
Countries ranked near India
More health data for India
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -2.12 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.4372 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,332 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 44,822 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 38 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -0.3809 % 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 0.0372 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -0.5922 % 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 wasting, weight for height in India?
- Prevalence of wasting, weight for height in India was 18.7% in 2020, 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 wasting, weight for height recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 20.8% in 2015.
- What is the lowest prevalence of wasting, weight for height recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 15.1% in 2014.
- How does India rank for prevalence of wasting, weight for height?
- India ranks 1st out of 99 countries with data for 2020.
- Is prevalence of wasting, weight for height rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is down 6.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this India 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 wasting, weight for height (% of children under 5). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Prevalence of wasting is the proportion of children under age 5 whose weight for height is more than two standard deviations below the median for the international reference population ages 0-59 months.