Thinness among children and adolescents, BMI-for-age < -2 standard in Canada

Canada: Thinness among children and adolescents, BMI-for-age < -2 standard was 1.4% in 2024. ▲ Rising

Latest (2024)
1.4%
Change on year
up 4.6%
World rank
174th
of 198 countries
All-time high
1.4%
in 2024
All-time low
0.8%
in 2004
Years of data
45
1980–2024

Thinness among children and adolescents, BMI-for-age < -2 standard in Canada, 1980–2024

00.511.51980200220241980: 0.8131981: 0.8071982: 0.8021983: 0.7981984: 0.7951985: 0.7931986: 0.7911987: 0.791988: 0.791989: 0.791990: 0.791991: 0.7911992: 0.7921993: 0.7941994: 0.7951995: 0.7971996: 0.7981997: 0.7981998: 0.7971999: 0.7952000: 0.7922001: 0.7892002: 0.7852003: 0.7832004: 0.7832005: 0.7852006: 0.7892007: 0.7972008: 0.8082009: 0.8232010: 0.8432011: 0.8662012: 0.8932013: 0.9242014: 0.9592015: 0.9952016: 12017: 1.12018: 1.12019: 1.22020: 1.22021: 1.22022: 1.32023: 1.42024: 1.4

Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.

Analysis

The most recent figure for thinness among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age < -2 standard in Canada is 1.4%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 4.6% on the previous year and up 48.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, thinness among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age < -2 standard in Canada peaked at 1.4% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 0.8%, in 2004.

That places Canada 174th out of 198 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 45 years of available data.

Thinness among children and adolescents, BMI-for-age < -2 standard in Canada, year by year

Annual values for Thinness among children and adolescents, BMI-for-age < -2 standard deviations below the median (%) in Canada, 1980 to 2024.
Year Value Change
1980 0.8%
1981 0.8% -0.8%
1982 0.8% -0.6%
1983 0.8% -0.5%
1984 0.8% -0.4%
1985 0.8% -0.3%
1986 0.8% -0.2%
1987 0.8% -0.1%
1988 0.8% -0.1%
1989 0.8% -0.0%
1990 0.8% +0.0%
1991 0.8% +0.1%
1992 0.8% +0.2%
1993 0.8% +0.2%
1994 0.8% +0.2%
1995 0.8% +0.2%
1996 0.8% +0.1%
1997 0.8% +0.0%
1998 0.8% -0.1%
1999 0.8% -0.2%
2000 0.8% -0.3%
2001 0.8% -0.4%
2002 0.8% -0.4%
2003 0.8% -0.3%
2004 0.8% -0.0%
2005 0.8% +0.3%
2006 0.8% +0.6%
2007 0.8% +0.9%
2008 0.8% +1.4%
2009 0.8% +1.9%
2010 0.8% +2.3%
2011 0.9% +2.7%
2012 0.9% +3.1%
2013 0.9% +3.5%
2014 1.0% +3.7%
2015 1.0% +3.8%
2016 1.0% +3.7%
2017 1.1% +3.6%
2018 1.1% +3.7%
2019 1.2% +3.8%
2020 1.2% +4.0%
2021 1.2% +4.2%
2022 1.3% +4.4%
2023 1.4% +4.5%
2024 1.4% +4.6%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 0.8% 0.8% 0.8% 10
1990s 0.8% 0.8% 0.8% 10
2000s 0.8% 0.8% 0.8% 10
2010s 1.0% 0.8% 1.2% 10
2020s 1.3% 1.2% 1.4% 5

Countries ranked near Canada

  1. 171 Colombia 1.5% compare
  2. 172 Malta 1.5% compare
  3. 173 Kiribati 1.4% compare
  4. 175 Spain 1.4% compare
  5. 176 Peru 1.4% compare
  6. 177 Tokelau 1.4% compare

See the full ranking of 210 places →

More health data for Canada

All data for Canada →

Frequently asked questions

What is thinness among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age < -2 standard in Canada?
Thinness among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age < -2 standard in Canada was 1.4% in 2024, according to World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
What is the highest thinness among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age < -2 standard recorded in Canada?
The highest recorded value was 1.4% in 2024.
What is the lowest thinness among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age < -2 standard recorded in Canada?
The lowest recorded value was 0.8% in 2004.
How does Canada rank for thinness among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age < -2 standard?
Canada ranks 174th out of 198 countries with data for 2024.
Is thinness among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age < -2 standard rising or falling in Canada?
Over the last ten years it is up 48.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Canada data come from?
The figures come from World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory, published as part of Thinness among children and adolescents, BMI-for-age < -2 standard deviations below the median (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Thinness among children and adolescents, BMI-for-age < -2 standard in Canada. Statizoid, drawing on World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory. Retrieved 29 August 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/thinness-among-children-and-adolescents-bmi-for-age-2-standard-deviations-below-the/canada/

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About this data

Indicator
Thinness among children and adolescents, BMI-for-age < -2 standard deviations below the median (%)
Source
World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory
Licence
CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (WHO)
Coverage
210 places, 9,450 data points, 1980–2024
Last refreshed