Prevalence of wasting, weight for height in Senegal
Senegal: Prevalence of wasting, weight for height was 10.2% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Prevalence of wasting, weight for height in Senegal, 1986–2023
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 2023, prevalence of wasting, weight for height in Senegal stood at 10.2%. That is the highest value across all 16 years on record.
The figure is up 13.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of wasting, weight for height in Senegal peaked at 10.2% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 5.5%, in 1986.
Senegal ranks 11th of 99 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 16 years of available data.
Prevalence of wasting, weight for height in Senegal, year by year
| Year | % of children under 5 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1986 | 5.5% | — |
| 1991 | 9.0% | +63.6% |
| 1993 | 9.4% | +4.4% |
| 1996 | 8.0% | -14.9% |
| 2000 | 10.0% | +25.0% |
| 2005 | 8.7% | -13.0% |
| 2011 | 9.8% | +12.6% |
| 2012 | 8.7% | -11.2% |
| 2013 | 9.0% | +3.4% |
| 2014 | 8.0% | -11.1% |
| 2015 | 8.9% | +11.3% |
| 2016 | 7.1% | -20.2% |
| 2017 | 9.0% | +26.8% |
| 2018 | 7.8% | -13.3% |
| 2019 | 8.1% | +3.8% |
| 2023 | 10.2% | +25.9% |
Senegal compared with similar countries
- Senegal's 10.2% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 5.1%, 2.0× the median. (38 countries reporting)
- Senegal's 10.2% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 5.6%, 1.8× the median. (34 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 5.5% | 5.5% | 5.5% | 1 |
| 1990s | 8.8% | 8.0% | 9.4% | 3 |
| 2000s | 9.3% | 8.7% | 10.0% | 2 |
| 2010s | 8.5% | 7.1% | 9.8% | 9 |
| 2020s | 10.2% | 10.2% | 10.2% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Senegal
- 8 Niger 10.9% compare
- 9 Bangladesh 10.7% compare
- 9 Lao People's Democratic Republic 10.7% compare
- 12 Cambodia 9.6% compare
- 13 Burkina Faso 9.3% compare
- 13 Oman 9.3% compare
- 13 Sri Lanka 9.3% compare
More health data for Senegal
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.58 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.7598 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 835.5 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 2,496 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 3 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 2.42 % 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 0.0658 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 1.29 % 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 Senegal?
- Prevalence of wasting, weight for height in Senegal was 10.2% in 2023, 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 Senegal?
- The highest recorded value was 10.2% in 2023.
- What is the lowest prevalence of wasting, weight for height recorded in Senegal?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.5% in 1986.
- How does Senegal rank for prevalence of wasting, weight for height?
- Senegal ranks 11th out of 99 countries with data for 2023.
- Is prevalence of wasting, weight for height rising or falling in Senegal?
- Over the last ten years it is up 13.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Senegal 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.