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

Japan: Thinness among children and adolescents, BMI-for-age < -2 standard was 1.6% in 2024. ▲ Rising

Latest (2024)
1.6%
Change on year
down 1.4%
World rank
168th
of 198 countries
All-time high
1.8%
in 2005
All-time low
1.5%
in 1988
Years of data
45
1980–2024

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

00.511.521980200220241980: 1.71981: 1.61982: 1.61983: 1.61984: 1.61985: 1.61986: 1.61987: 1.51988: 1.51989: 1.51990: 1.61991: 1.61992: 1.61993: 1.61994: 1.61995: 1.61996: 1.71997: 1.71998: 1.71999: 1.72000: 1.82001: 1.82002: 1.82003: 1.82004: 1.82005: 1.82006: 1.82007: 1.82008: 1.82009: 1.82010: 1.82011: 1.82012: 1.82013: 1.82014: 1.82015: 1.72016: 1.72017: 1.72018: 1.72019: 1.72020: 1.72021: 1.62022: 1.62023: 1.62024: 1.6

Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.

Analysis

In 2024, thinness among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age < -2 standard in Japan stood at 1.6%.

The figure is down 1.4% on the previous year and down 11.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, thinness among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age < -2 standard in Japan peaked at 1.8% in 2005 and was at its lowest, 1.5%, in 1988.

That places Japan 168th 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 Japan, year by year

Annual values for Thinness among children and adolescents, BMI-for-age < -2 standard deviations below the median (%) in Japan, 1980 to 2024.
Year Value Change
1980 1.7%
1981 1.6% -1.7%
1982 1.6% -1.6%
1983 1.6% -1.4%
1984 1.6% -1.2%
1985 1.6% -1.0%
1986 1.6% -0.8%
1987 1.5% -0.5%
1988 1.5% -0.2%
1989 1.5% +0.1%
1990 1.6% +0.4%
1991 1.6% +0.7%
1992 1.6% +1.0%
1993 1.6% +1.3%
1994 1.6% +1.5%
1995 1.6% +1.7%
1996 1.7% +1.7%
1997 1.7% +1.6%
1998 1.7% +1.5%
1999 1.7% +1.2%
2000 1.8% +0.9%
2001 1.8% +0.6%
2002 1.8% +0.3%
2003 1.8% +0.2%
2004 1.8% +0.1%
2005 1.8% +0.0%
2006 1.8% -0.1%
2007 1.8% -0.1%
2008 1.8% -0.2%
2009 1.8% -0.2%
2010 1.8% -0.3%
2011 1.8% -0.3%
2012 1.8% -0.2%
2013 1.8% -0.2%
2014 1.8% -0.2%
2015 1.7% -0.3%
2016 1.7% -0.6%
2017 1.7% -0.9%
2018 1.7% -1.2%
2019 1.7% -1.4%
2020 1.7% -1.6%
2021 1.6% -1.6%
2022 1.6% -1.6%
2023 1.6% -1.5%
2024 1.6% -1.4%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 1.6% 1.5% 1.7% 10
1990s 1.6% 1.6% 1.7% 10
2000s 1.8% 1.8% 1.8% 10
2010s 1.7% 1.7% 1.8% 10
2020s 1.6% 1.6% 1.7% 5

Countries ranked near Japan

  1. 165 Switzerland 1.6% compare
  2. 166 Norway 1.6% compare
  3. 167 Estonia 1.6% compare
  4. 169 Portugal 1.5% compare
  5. 170 Germany 1.5% compare
  6. 171 Colombia 1.5% compare

See the full ranking of 211 places →

More health data for Japan

All data for Japan →

Frequently asked questions

What is thinness among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age < -2 standard in Japan?
Thinness among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age < -2 standard in Japan was 1.6% 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 Japan?
The highest recorded value was 1.8% in 2005.
What is the lowest thinness among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age < -2 standard recorded in Japan?
The lowest recorded value was 1.5% in 1988.
How does Japan rank for thinness among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age < -2 standard?
Japan ranks 168th out of 198 countries with data for 2024.
Is thinness among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age < -2 standard rising or falling in Japan?
Over the last ten years it is down 11.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Japan 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 Japan. Statizoid, drawing on World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory. Retrieved 02 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/thinness-among-children-and-adolescents-bmi-for-age-2-standard-deviations-below-the/japan/

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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
211 places, 9,495 data points, 1980–2024
Last refreshed