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

New Zealand: Thinness among children and adolescents, BMI-for-age < -2 standard was 0.9% in 2024. ▼ Falling

Latest (2024)
0.9%
Change on year
up 2.5%
World rank
195th
of 198 countries
All-time high
1.3%
in 1980
All-time low
0.8%
in 2010
Years of data
45
1980–2024

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

00.511.51980200220241980: 1.31981: 1.31982: 1.21983: 1.21984: 1.21985: 1.21986: 1.11987: 1.11988: 1.11989: 1.11990: 1.11991: 1.11992: 11993: 11994: 11995: 11996: 0.9961997: 0.9811998: 0.9651999: 0.9472000: 0.9272001: 0.9062002: 0.8862003: 0.8662004: 0.8482005: 0.8322006: 0.8182007: 0.8072008: 0.7992009: 0.7942010: 0.7922011: 0.7932012: 0.7962013: 0.8012014: 0.8072015: 0.8142016: 0.8212017: 0.8282018: 0.8352019: 0.8452020: 0.8582021: 0.8742022: 0.8922023: 0.9132024: 0.936

Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.

Analysis

The most recent figure for thinness among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age < -2 standard in New Zealand is 0.9%, measured in 2024.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.5% on the previous year and up 16.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, thinness among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age < -2 standard in New Zealand peaked at 1.3% in 1980 and was at its lowest, 0.8%, in 2010.

That places New Zealand 195th out of 198 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.

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 New Zealand, year by year

Annual values for Thinness among children and adolescents, BMI-for-age < -2 standard deviations below the median (%) in New Zealand, 1980 to 2024.
Year Value Change
1980 1.3%
1981 1.3% -2.6%
1982 1.2% -2.5%
1983 1.2% -2.3%
1984 1.2% -2.2%
1985 1.2% -2.0%
1986 1.1% -1.9%
1987 1.1% -1.8%
1988 1.1% -1.7%
1989 1.1% -1.6%
1990 1.1% -1.4%
1991 1.1% -1.3%
1992 1.0% -1.2%
1993 1.0% -1.1%
1994 1.0% -1.1%
1995 1.0% -1.1%
1996 1.0% -1.3%
1997 1.0% -1.4%
1998 1.0% -1.7%
1999 0.9% -1.9%
2000 0.9% -2.1%
2001 0.9% -2.2%
2002 0.9% -2.3%
2003 0.9% -2.2%
2004 0.8% -2.1%
2005 0.8% -1.9%
2006 0.8% -1.7%
2007 0.8% -1.4%
2008 0.8% -0.9%
2009 0.8% -0.6%
2010 0.8% -0.3%
2011 0.8% +0.1%
2012 0.8% +0.4%
2013 0.8% +0.6%
2014 0.8% +0.8%
2015 0.8% +0.9%
2016 0.8% +0.9%
2017 0.8% +0.8%
2018 0.8% +0.9%
2019 0.8% +1.2%
2020 0.9% +1.5%
2021 0.9% +1.9%
2022 0.9% +2.1%
2023 0.9% +2.3%
2024 0.9% +2.5%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 1.2% 1.1% 1.3% 10
1990s 1.0% 0.9% 1.1% 10
2000s 0.8% 0.8% 0.9% 10
2010s 0.8% 0.8% 0.8% 10
2020s 0.9% 0.9% 0.9% 5

Countries ranked near New Zealand

  1. 192 Sweden 1.0% compare
  2. 193 Finland 1.0% compare
  3. 194 Bolivia, Plurinational State of 1.0% compare
  4. 196 Netherlands 0.9% compare
  5. 197 Chile 0.8% compare
  6. 198 Tonga 0.8% compare

See the full ranking of 211 places →

More health data for New Zealand

All data for New Zealand →

Frequently asked questions

What is thinness among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age < -2 standard in New Zealand?
Thinness among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age < -2 standard in New Zealand was 0.9% 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 New Zealand?
The highest recorded value was 1.3% in 1980.
What is the lowest thinness among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age < -2 standard recorded in New Zealand?
The lowest recorded value was 0.8% in 2010.
How does New Zealand rank for thinness among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age < -2 standard?
New Zealand ranks 195th out of 198 countries with data for 2024.
Is thinness among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age < -2 standard rising or falling in New Zealand?
Over the last ten years it is up 16.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this New Zealand 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 New Zealand. Statizoid, drawing on World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory. Retrieved 09 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/thinness-among-children-and-adolescents-bmi-for-age-2-standard-deviations-below-the/new-zealand/

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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