Share of women defined as underweight, healthy, overweight or obese in Afghanistan
Afghanistan: Share of women defined as underweight, healthy, overweight or obese was 19.7% in 2014. ▼ Falling
Share of women defined as underweight, healthy, overweight or obese in Afghanistan, 1975–2014
Source: NCD Risk Factor Collaboration (2017) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of women defined as underweight, healthy, overweight or obese in Afghanistan is 19.7%, measured in 2014. That is the lowest value across all 40 years on record.
The figure is down 2.0% on the previous year and down 14.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of women defined as underweight, healthy, overweight or obese in Afghanistan peaked at 30.2% in 1975 and was at its lowest, 19.7%, in 2014.
That places Afghanistan 3rd out of 198 countries with data for 2014, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 40 years of available data.
Share of women defined as underweight, healthy, overweight or obese in Afghanistan, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 30.2% | — |
| 1976 | 30.0% | -0.7% |
| 1977 | 29.8% | -0.7% |
| 1978 | 29.6% | -0.7% |
| 1979 | 29.4% | -0.7% |
| 1980 | 29.2% | -0.7% |
| 1981 | 29.0% | -0.7% |
| 1982 | 28.7% | -1.0% |
| 1983 | 28.4% | -1.0% |
| 1984 | 28.2% | -0.7% |
| 1985 | 27.9% | -1.1% |
| 1986 | 27.6% | -1.1% |
| 1987 | 27.3% | -1.1% |
| 1988 | 27.1% | -0.7% |
| 1989 | 26.8% | -1.1% |
| 1990 | 26.5% | -1.1% |
| 1991 | 26.3% | -0.8% |
| 1992 | 26.0% | -1.1% |
| 1993 | 25.8% | -0.8% |
| 1994 | 25.6% | -0.8% |
| 1995 | 25.4% | -0.8% |
| 1996 | 25.1% | -1.2% |
| 1997 | 24.9% | -0.8% |
| 1998 | 24.6% | -1.2% |
| 1999 | 24.4% | -0.8% |
| 2000 | 24.1% | -1.2% |
| 2001 | 23.9% | -0.8% |
| 2002 | 23.7% | -0.8% |
| 2003 | 23.4% | -1.3% |
| 2004 | 23.1% | -1.3% |
| 2005 | 22.8% | -1.3% |
| 2006 | 22.5% | -1.3% |
| 2007 | 22.2% | -1.3% |
| 2008 | 21.9% | -1.4% |
| 2009 | 21.5% | -1.8% |
| 2010 | 21.2% | -1.4% |
| 2011 | 20.8% | -1.9% |
| 2012 | 20.4% | -1.9% |
| 2013 | 20.1% | -1.5% |
| 2014 | 19.7% | -2.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 29.8% | 29.4% | 30.2% | 5 |
| 1980s | 28.0% | 26.8% | 29.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 25.5% | 24.4% | 26.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 22.9% | 21.5% | 24.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 20.4% | 19.7% | 21.2% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Afghanistan
More health data for Afghanistan
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.45 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 1.03 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 812.4 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 14,735 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 19 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 1.78 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0.0002 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.077 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 1.75 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0.0002 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of women defined as underweight, healthy, overweight or obese in Afghanistan?
- Share of women defined as underweight, healthy, overweight or obese in Afghanistan was 19.7% in 2014, according to NCD Risk Factor Collaboration (2017) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of women defined as underweight, healthy, overweight or obese recorded in Afghanistan?
- The highest recorded value was 30.2% in 1975.
- What is the lowest share of women defined as underweight, healthy, overweight or obese recorded in Afghanistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 19.7% in 2014.
- How does Afghanistan rank for share of women defined as underweight, healthy, overweight or obese?
- Afghanistan ranks 3rd out of 198 countries with data for 2014.
- Is share of women defined as underweight, healthy, overweight or obese rising or falling in Afghanistan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 14.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Afghanistan data come from?
- The figures come from NCD Risk Factor Collaboration (2017) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of women defined as underweight, healthy, overweight or obese. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of women (% of adult population), who are underweight, healthy/normal, overweight or obese based on body mass index (BMI). Body Mass Index (BMI) is a person's weight divided by their height squared. The WHO define a BMI <=18.5 as underweight; 18.6 to 25.0 as normal/healthy; 25.1 to 30 as overweight; and >30.0 as obese.