Thinness among children and adolescents, BMI-for-age < -2 standard deviations below the median (%) by country
Countries reporting
198
Highest
22.4%
Sri Lanka
Lowest
0.8%
Tonga
Median
3.6%
Years covered
45
1980–2024
Data points
9,450
What the numbers show
Thinness among children and adolescents, BMI-for-age < -2 standard deviations below the median (%) is currently reported for 198 countries. The highest value is 22.4% in Sri Lanka; the lowest is 0.8% in Tonga.
The median across all reporting countries is 3.6%, and the mean is 4.8%.
The gap between the highest and lowest reporting country is a factor of about 30.
Over the past decade 124 countries rose and 74 fell. The largest increase was in Portugal (up 70.2%), and the largest decrease in Viet Nam (down 32.5%).
Thinness among children and adolescents, BMI-for-age < -2 standard: full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sri Lanka | 22.4% | 2024 | down 0.6% | falling |
| 2 | Senegal | 21.8% | 2024 | up 12.1% | rising |
| 3 | Bangladesh | 20.0% | 2024 | down 9.9% | falling |
| 4 | India | 19.3% | 2024 | down 19.3% | falling |
| 5 | Eritrea | 17.3% | 2024 | down 2.4% | rising |
| 6 | Gambia | 16.1% | 2024 | down 4.7% | falling |
| 7 | Nepal | 16.0% | 2024 | down 8.6% | falling |
| 8 | Niger | 15.6% | 2024 | up 4.2% | falling |
| 9 | Timor-Leste | 15.5% | 2024 | up 11.8% | rising |
| 10 | Yemen | 15.1% | 2024 | up 1.4% | rising |
| 11 | Pakistan | 14.6% | 2024 | down 14.4% | falling |
| 12 | Saudi Arabia | 13.9% | 2024 | up 6.1% | rising |
| 13 | Myanmar | 13.2% | 2024 | up 5.7% | falling |
| 14 | Nigeria | 11.6% | 2024 | up 14.1% | falling |
| 15 | Sudan | 11.5% | 2024 | down 2.9% | falling |
| 16 | Maldives | 11.3% | 2024 | down 17.1% | falling |
| 17 | Iran, Islamic Republic of | 10.9% | 2024 | up 12.6% | falling |
| 18 | Mali | 10.1% | 2024 | up 2.7% | falling |
| 19 | Cape Verde | 10.0% | 2024 | up 1.0% | falling |
| 20 | Chad | 9.8% | 2024 | down 0.6% | falling |
| 21 | Mauritania | 9.3% | 2024 | down 7.0% | falling |
| 22 | Korea, Democratic People's Republic of | 8.7% | 2024 | down 5.3% | falling |
| 23 | Thailand | 8.6% | 2024 | up 6.3% | falling |
| 24 | Cambodia | 8.5% | 2024 | down 3.5% | falling |
| 25 | Afghanistan | 8.4% | 2024 | down 18.6% | falling |
| 26 | Ethiopia | 8.3% | 2024 | down 27.9% | falling |
| 27 | Malaysia | 8.2% | 2024 | down 0.4% | falling |
| 28 | Philippines | 8.0% | 2024 | down 0.9% | rising |
| 29 | Indonesia | 7.9% | 2024 | down 20.3% | falling |
| 30 | Viet Nam | 7.9% | 2024 | down 32.5% | falling |
| 31 | Fiji | 7.7% | 2024 | up 10.6% | flat |
| 32 | Guinea | 7.7% | 2024 | up 0.3% | falling |
| 33 | Namibia | 7.2% | 2024 | down 10.2% | falling |
| 34 | Tajikistan | 7.1% | 2024 | up 18.7% | falling |
| 35 | Trinidad and Tobago | 7.1% | 2024 | down 17.4% | falling |
| 36 | Guinea-Bissau | 7.0% | 2024 | down 3.8% | falling |
| 37 | Libya | 7.0% | 2024 | up 31.1% | falling |
| 38 | Mauritius | 6.9% | 2024 | down 8.7% | falling |
| 39 | Guyana | 6.9% | 2024 | up 2.6% | falling |
| 40 | Oman | 6.8% | 2024 | down 5.6% | falling |
| 41 | Burkina Faso | 6.7% | 2024 | up 3.1% | falling |
| 42 | Côte d'Ivoire | 6.6% | 2024 | down 1.9% | rising |
| 43 | Burundi | 6.5% | 2024 | down 2.8% | falling |
| 44 | Seychelles | 6.3% | 2024 | down 2.6% | falling |
| 45 | Bhutan | 6.3% | 2024 | down 24.7% | falling |
| 46 | Qatar | 6.2% | 2024 | up 13.7% | falling |
| 47 | Cuba | 6.2% | 2024 | up 12.2% | falling |
| 48 | Bahrain | 6.1% | 2024 | down 0.6% | falling |
| 49 | Romania | 5.9% | 2024 | up 8.9% | falling |
| 50 | Lao People's Democratic Republic | 5.9% | 2024 | down 2.5% | falling |
| 51 | Madagascar | 5.8% | 2024 | down 7.8% | falling |
| 52 | Equatorial Guinea | 5.8% | 2024 | down 10.3% | falling |
| 53 | Central African Republic | 5.8% | 2024 | down 10.3% | falling |
| 54 | Djibouti | 5.8% | 2024 | down 5.9% | falling |
| 55 | Somalia | 5.7% | 2024 | down 7.0% | falling |
| 56 | Ghana | 5.6% | 2024 | down 9.5% | falling |
| 57 | Syrian Arab Republic | 5.6% | 2024 | up 8.9% | falling |
| 58 | Benin | 5.5% | 2024 | down 6.5% | falling |
| 59 | South Sudan | 5.4% | 2024 | down 7.4% | falling |
| 60 | Botswana | 5.3% | 2024 | down 21.5% | falling |
| 61 | Kenya | 5.3% | 2024 | down 30.7% | falling |
| 62 | Tanzania, United Republic of | 5.2% | 2024 | up 16.4% | falling |
| 63 | Turkmenistan | 5.1% | 2024 | up 13.2% | falling |
| 64 | Togo | 5.1% | 2024 | down 9.4% | falling |
| 65 | Congo | 5.0% | 2024 | down 8.6% | falling |
| 66 | Congo, Democratic Republic of the | 5.0% | 2024 | down 21.0% | falling |
| 67 | Sierra Leone | 5.0% | 2024 | down 24.5% | falling |
| 68 | Palestine, State of | 4.9% | 2024 | up 16.9% | falling |
| 69 | North Macedonia | 4.9% | 2024 | up 18.1% | flat |
| 70 | Angola | 4.9% | 2024 | down 10.0% | falling |
| 71 | Uzbekistan | 4.8% | 2024 | up 18.2% | falling |
| 72 | Comoros | 4.6% | 2024 | down 8.6% | falling |
| 73 | Liberia | 4.6% | 2024 | down 10.8% | falling |
| 74 | Dominican Republic | 4.6% | 2024 | up 14.9% | flat |
| 75 | Zimbabwe | 4.6% | 2024 | down 5.5% | falling |
| 76 | Kazakhstan | 4.6% | 2024 | up 35.9% | falling |
| 77 | Tunisia | 4.5% | 2024 | up 5.6% | falling |
| 78 | Morocco | 4.4% | 2024 | up 22.5% | falling |
| 79 | Algeria | 4.4% | 2024 | up 7.2% | falling |
| 80 | Russian Federation | 4.2% | 2024 | down 3.8% | falling |
| 81 | Cameroon | 4.2% | 2024 | down 5.7% | falling |
| 82 | Barbados | 4.1% | 2024 | up 5.9% | falling |
| 83 | Sao Tome and Principe | 4.1% | 2024 | up 0.8% | falling |
| 84 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 4.0% | 2024 | up 13.6% | falling |
| 85 | Uganda | 3.9% | 2024 | down 11.7% | falling |
| 86 | Azerbaijan | 3.9% | 2024 | up 9.9% | falling |
| 87 | Haiti | 3.9% | 2024 | up 2.9% | falling |
| 88 | Rwanda | 3.9% | 2024 | down 14.3% | falling |
| 89 | Bermuda | 3.9% | 2024 | up 6.5% | falling |
| 90 | Jordan | 3.8% | 2024 | up 4.2% | falling |
| 91 | Republic of Moldova | 3.8% | 2024 | up 20.1% | flat |
| 92 | Grenada | 3.8% | 2024 | up 7.2% | falling |
| 93 | Gabon | 3.8% | 2024 | down 6.1% | falling |
| 94 | Ukraine | 3.8% | 2024 | down 13.9% | falling |
| 95 | Armenia | 3.8% | 2024 | up 29.9% | falling |
| 96 | Iraq | 3.7% | 2024 | up 7.4% | falling |
| 97 | Papua New Guinea | 3.6% | 2024 | up 15.7% | flat |
| 98 | Mozambique | 3.6% | 2024 | up 22.5% | falling |
| 99 | Kuwait | 3.6% | 2024 | up 14.0% | falling |
| 100 | Puerto Rico | 3.6% | 2024 | up 6.6% | falling |
| 101 | Lesotho | 3.5% | 2024 | down 5.4% | falling |
| 102 | Saint Lucia | 3.5% | 2024 | up 5.0% | falling |
| 103 | Czechia | 3.5% | 2024 | up 14.0% | falling |
| 104 | Bulgaria | 3.3% | 2024 | up 26.9% | rising |
| 105 | Luxembourg | 3.3% | 2024 | up 26.1% | rising |
| 106 | Bahamas | 3.3% | 2024 | up 8.5% | falling |
| 107 | Zambia | 3.3% | 2024 | down 14.1% | falling |
| 108 | United Arab Emirates | 3.3% | 2024 | up 8.8% | falling |
| 109 | Albania | 3.2% | 2024 | up 56.0% | flat |
| 110 | Saint Kitts and Nevis | 3.2% | 2024 | up 8.7% | falling |
| 111 | Slovakia | 3.2% | 2024 | up 11.1% | rising |
| 112 | Kyrgyzstan | 3.1% | 2024 | up 3.4% | falling |
| 113 | Marshall Islands | 3.1% | 2024 | up 18.0% | rising |
| 114 | Cyprus | 3.0% | 2024 | up 12.6% | falling |
| 115 | Dominica | 3.0% | 2024 | up 9.7% | falling |
| 116 | China | 3.0% | 2024 | down 24.3% | falling |
| 117 | France | 3.0% | 2024 | up 36.3% | rising |
| 118 | Poland | 3.0% | 2024 | up 12.0% | flat |
| 119 | Mongolia | 3.0% | 2024 | up 10.5% | falling |
| 120 | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 2.9% | 2024 | down 0.6% | falling |
| 121 | Hungary | 2.9% | 2024 | up 28.6% | falling |
| 122 | Vanuatu | 2.9% | 2024 | up 21.0% | flat |
| 123 | Montenegro | 2.8% | 2024 | up 59.1% | falling |
| 124 | Türkiye | 2.8% | 2024 | up 36.9% | falling |
| 125 | Belarus | 2.8% | 2024 | up 5.7% | falling |
| 126 | Brunei Darussalam | 2.8% | 2024 | down 14.6% | falling |
| 127 | El Salvador | 2.7% | 2024 | up 23.1% | falling |
| 128 | Belize | 2.7% | 2024 | up 9.0% | falling |
| 129 | South Africa | 2.6% | 2024 | down 28.0% | volatile |
| 130 | Eswatini | 2.6% | 2024 | down 0.3% | falling |
| 131 | Antigua and Barbuda | 2.6% | 2024 | up 8.5% | falling |
| 132 | Egypt | 2.6% | 2024 | down 2.1% | falling |
| 133 | Honduras | 2.6% | 2024 | up 20.2% | falling |
| 134 | Slovenia | 2.5% | 2024 | up 27.2% | falling |
| 135 | Tuvalu | 2.5% | 2024 | up 19.2% | flat |
| 136 | Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of | 2.5% | 2024 | up 13.9% | falling |
| 137 | Singapore | 2.5% | 2024 | down 2.8% | falling |
| 138 | Israel | 2.4% | 2024 | down 1.3% | rising |
| 139 | Austria | 2.4% | 2024 | up 14.8% | rising |
| 140 | Lithuania | 2.4% | 2024 | up 7.5% | falling |
| 141 | Brazil | 2.4% | 2024 | down 3.8% | falling |
| 142 | Andorra | 2.4% | 2024 | up 23.6% | flat |
| 143 | Serbia | 2.4% | 2024 | down 6.1% | falling |
| 144 | Mexico | 2.3% | 2024 | up 28.7% | falling |
| 145 | Palau | 2.3% | 2024 | down 5.8% | falling |
| 146 | Paraguay | 2.3% | 2024 | up 0.0% | falling |
| 147 | Georgia | 2.2% | 2024 | down 0.9% | falling |
| 148 | French Polynesia | 2.2% | 2024 | up 25.4% | flat |
| 149 | Nicaragua | 2.1% | 2024 | up 20.1% | falling |
| 150 | Solomon Islands | 2.1% | 2024 | up 23.3% | falling |
| 151 | Denmark | 2.1% | 2024 | up 68.8% | falling |
| 152 | Costa Rica | 2.1% | 2024 | up 16.2% | falling |
| 153 | Panama | 2.1% | 2024 | up 18.3% | falling |
| 154 | Guatemala | 2.0% | 2024 | up 34.1% | falling |
| 155 | Iceland | 2.0% | 2024 | up 24.6% | flat |
| 156 | Jamaica | 2.0% | 2024 | up 58.4% | falling |
| 157 | Ecuador | 1.9% | 2024 | up 27.7% | falling |
| 158 | Italy | 1.9% | 2024 | up 46.4% | rising |
| 159 | Malawi | 1.9% | 2024 | down 7.6% | falling |
| 160 | Argentina | 1.8% | 2024 | up 23.5% | falling |
| 161 | Latvia | 1.8% | 2024 | up 16.4% | falling |
| 162 | Croatia | 1.8% | 2024 | up 0.2% | falling |
| 163 | Belgium | 1.7% | 2024 | up 22.5% | rising |
| 164 | Lebanon | 1.7% | 2024 | down 3.5% | falling |
| 165 | Switzerland | 1.6% | 2024 | up 16.9% | rising |
| 166 | Norway | 1.6% | 2024 | up 40.5% | rising |
| 167 | Estonia | 1.6% | 2024 | down 5.2% | falling |
| 168 | Japan | 1.6% | 2024 | down 11.4% | rising |
| 169 | Portugal | 1.5% | 2024 | up 70.2% | rising |
| 170 | Germany | 1.5% | 2024 | up 31.8% | rising |
| 171 | Colombia | 1.5% | 2024 | down 4.2% | falling |
| 172 | Malta | 1.5% | 2024 | up 14.3% | falling |
| 173 | Kiribati | 1.4% | 2024 | up 18.1% | falling |
| 174 | Canada | 1.4% | 2024 | up 48.6% | rising |
| 175 | Spain | 1.4% | 2024 | up 67.0% | falling |
| 176 | Peru | 1.4% | 2024 | up 21.9% | falling |
| 177 | Tokelau | 1.4% | 2024 | up 14.4% | falling |
| 178 | Cook Islands | 1.3% | 2024 | up 34.6% | falling |
| 179 | Republic of Korea | 1.3% | 2024 | up 9.7% | falling |
| 180 | Uruguay | 1.3% | 2024 | up 11.9% | falling |
| 181 | Micronesia, Federated States of | 1.3% | 2024 | up 31.4% | falling |
| 182 | Australia | 1.3% | 2024 | up 17.0% | rising |
| 183 | Greece | 1.3% | 2024 | down 11.1% | falling |
| 184 | American Samoa | 1.2% | 2024 | up 16.7% | flat |
| 185 | Ireland | 1.2% | 2024 | up 33.7% | rising |
| 186 | Greenland | 1.2% | 2024 | up 22.3% | falling |
| 187 | Samoa | 1.2% | 2024 | up 26.0% | flat |
| 188 | Naoero | 1.2% | 2024 | up 30.3% | falling |
| 189 | United States of America | 1.1% | 2024 | up 26.5% | flat |
| 190 | Niue | 1.1% | 2024 | up 23.3% | falling |
| 191 | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland | 1.1% | 2024 | up 21.1% | falling |
| 192 | Sweden | 1.0% | 2024 | up 12.6% | rising |
| 193 | Finland | 1.0% | 2024 | up 30.7% | rising |
| 194 | Bolivia, Plurinational State of | 1.0% | 2024 | up 1.6% | falling |
| 195 | New Zealand | 0.9% | 2024 | up 16.0% | falling |
| 196 | Netherlands | 0.9% | 2024 | up 1.3% | falling |
| 197 | Chile | 0.8% | 2024 | up 12.0% | falling |
| 198 | Tonga | 0.8% | 2024 | up 52.0% | falling |
Regions and income groups
Aggregates are excluded from the country ranking above so that a region can never outrank a country.
- South-East Asia (WHO region) 18.8%
- Sur 4.3%
- Lower-middle income (World Bank) 13.5%
- Eastern Mediterranean (WHO region) 9.8%
- World 8.6%
- Low income (World Bank) 7.6%
- Africa (WHO region) 7.2%
- Western Pacific (WHO region) 4.5%
- Upper-middle income (World Bank) 4.0%
- Europe (WHO region) 3.1%
- High income (World Bank) 2.5%
- Americas (WHO region) 1.9%