Prevalence of wasting, weight for height (% of children under 5) in North Korea
North Korea: Prevalence of wasting, weight for height (% of children under 5) was 2.5% in 2017. ◆ Volatile
Prevalence of wasting, weight for height in North Korea, 1998–2017
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
North Korea recorded 2.5% for prevalence of wasting, weight for height in 2017. That is the lowest value across all 7 years on record.
That represents a change of down 51.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of wasting, weight for height in North Korea peaked at 20.8% in 1998 and was at its lowest, 2.5%, in 2017.
North Korea ranks 72nd of 99 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Prevalence of wasting, weight for height (% of children under 5) in North Korea, year by year
| Year | % of children under 5 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 20.8% | — |
| 2000 | 12.2% | -41.3% |
| 2002 | 8.7% | -28.7% |
| 2004 | 8.5% | -2.3% |
| 2009 | 5.2% | -38.8% |
| 2012 | 4.0% | -23.1% |
| 2017 | 2.5% | -37.5% |
North Korea compared with similar countries
- North Korea's 2.5% is below the median for low income countries, which is 6.3%, 40% of the median. (21 countries reporting)
- North Korea's 2.5% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 7.2%, 35% of the median. (13 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 20.8% | 20.8% | 20.8% | 1 |
| 2000s | 8.7% | 5.2% | 12.2% | 4 |
| 2010s | 3.2% | 2.5% | 4.0% | 2 |
Countries ranked near North Korea
More health data for North Korea
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.16 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.2456 % change on previous year (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 767 (2100)
- Age population, age 20, female, interpolated 160,777 (2025)
- Age population, age 19, male, interpolated 166,311 (2025)
- Age population, age 20, male, interpolated 168,181 (2025)
- Age population, age 21, female, interpolated 167,365 (2025)
- Age population, age 21, male, interpolated 174,844 (2025)
- Age population, age 22, female, interpolated 172,370 (2025)
- Age population, age 22, male, interpolated 179,764 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is prevalence of wasting, weight for height in North Korea?
- Prevalence of wasting, weight for height in North Korea was 2.5% in 2017, 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 North Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 20.8% in 1998.
- What is the lowest prevalence of wasting, weight for height recorded in North Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.5% in 2017.
- How does North Korea rank for prevalence of wasting, weight for height?
- North Korea ranks 72nd out of 99 countries with data for 2017.
- Is prevalence of wasting, weight for height rising or falling in North Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 51.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this North Korea 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.