Thinness among children and adolescents, BMI-for-age < -2 standard in Ghana
Ghana: Thinness among children and adolescents, BMI-for-age < -2 standard was 5.6% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
5.6%
Change on year
down 0.6%
World rank
56th
of 198 countries
All-time high
13.7%
in 1980
All-time low
5.6%
in 2024
Years of data
45
1980–2024
Thinness among children and adolescents, BMI-for-age < -2 standard in Ghana, 1980–2024
Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
Analysis
In 2024, thinness among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age < -2 standard in Ghana stood at 5.6%. That is the lowest value across all 45 years on record.
The figure is down 0.6% on the previous year and down 9.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, thinness among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age < -2 standard in Ghana peaked at 13.7% in 1980 and was at its lowest, 5.6%, in 2024.
Ghana ranks 56th of 198 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 45 years of available data.
Thinness among children and adolescents, BMI-for-age < -2 standard in Ghana, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 13.7% | — |
| 1981 | 13.5% | -1.5% |
| 1982 | 13.3% | -1.5% |
| 1983 | 13.1% | -1.5% |
| 1984 | 12.9% | -1.5% |
| 1985 | 12.7% | -1.5% |
| 1986 | 12.5% | -1.5% |
| 1987 | 12.3% | -1.5% |
| 1988 | 12.1% | -1.5% |
| 1989 | 11.9% | -1.6% |
| 1990 | 11.7% | -1.8% |
| 1991 | 11.5% | -1.9% |
| 1992 | 11.3% | -2.0% |
| 1993 | 11.0% | -2.1% |
| 1994 | 10.8% | -2.3% |
| 1995 | 10.5% | -2.4% |
| 1996 | 10.2% | -2.6% |
| 1997 | 10.0% | -2.7% |
| 1998 | 9.7% | -2.9% |
| 1999 | 9.4% | -3.0% |
| 2000 | 9.1% | -3.1% |
| 2001 | 8.8% | -3.2% |
| 2002 | 8.5% | -3.3% |
| 2003 | 8.2% | -3.3% |
| 2004 | 7.9% | -3.3% |
| 2005 | 7.7% | -3.2% |
| 2006 | 7.5% | -3.1% |
| 2007 | 7.2% | -3.0% |
| 2008 | 7.0% | -2.8% |
| 2009 | 6.9% | -2.6% |
| 2010 | 6.7% | -2.4% |
| 2011 | 6.5% | -2.2% |
| 2012 | 6.4% | -2.0% |
| 2013 | 6.3% | -1.8% |
| 2014 | 6.2% | -1.5% |
| 2015 | 6.1% | -1.4% |
| 2016 | 6.0% | -1.2% |
| 2017 | 6.0% | -1.2% |
| 2018 | 5.9% | -1.2% |
| 2019 | 5.8% | -1.1% |
| 2020 | 5.8% | -1.0% |
| 2021 | 5.7% | -0.8% |
| 2022 | 5.7% | -0.7% |
| 2023 | 5.6% | -0.6% |
| 2024 | 5.6% | -0.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 12.8% | 11.9% | 13.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | 10.6% | 9.4% | 11.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 7.9% | 6.9% | 9.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.2% | 5.8% | 6.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.7% | 5.6% | 5.8% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Ghana
More health data for Ghana
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.37 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.6224 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 986.1 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 8,361 deaths (2100)
- Population ages 75-79, female, annual growth rate 3.61 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 75-79, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 75-79, female, per capita 0.0036 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 75-79, male, annual growth rate 3.86 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 75-79, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 75-79, male, per capita 0.0027 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is thinness among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age < -2 standard in Ghana?
- Thinness among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age < -2 standard in Ghana was 5.6% 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 Ghana?
- The highest recorded value was 13.7% in 1980.
- What is the lowest thinness among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age < -2 standard recorded in Ghana?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.6% in 2024.
- How does Ghana rank for thinness among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age < -2 standard?
- Ghana ranks 56th out of 198 countries with data for 2024.
- Is thinness among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age < -2 standard rising or falling in Ghana?
- Over the last ten years it is down 9.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Ghana 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.
Download this data
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