Thinness among children and adolescents, BMI-for-age < -2 standard in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia: Thinness among children and adolescents, BMI-for-age < -2 standard was 13.9% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
13.9%
Change on year
up 0.8%
World rank
12th
of 198 countries
All-time high
13.9%
in 2024
All-time low
9.5%
in 1980
Years of data
45
1980–2024
Thinness among children and adolescents, BMI-for-age < -2 standard in Saudi Arabia, 1980–2024
Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
Analysis
In 2024, thinness among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age < -2 standard in Saudi Arabia stood at 13.9%. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.8% on the previous year and up 6.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, thinness among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age < -2 standard in Saudi Arabia peaked at 13.9% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 9.5%, in 1980.
That places Saudi Arabia 12th out of 198 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
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 Saudi Arabia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 9.5% | — |
| 1981 | 9.6% | +0.5% |
| 1982 | 9.6% | +0.6% |
| 1983 | 9.7% | +0.6% |
| 1984 | 9.7% | +0.7% |
| 1985 | 9.8% | +0.8% |
| 1986 | 9.9% | +0.8% |
| 1987 | 10.0% | +0.9% |
| 1988 | 10.1% | +1.0% |
| 1989 | 10.2% | +1.0% |
| 1990 | 10.3% | +1.1% |
| 1991 | 10.4% | +1.1% |
| 1992 | 10.5% | +1.2% |
| 1993 | 10.7% | +1.2% |
| 1994 | 10.8% | +1.2% |
| 1995 | 10.9% | +1.2% |
| 1996 | 11.1% | +1.2% |
| 1997 | 11.2% | +1.1% |
| 1998 | 11.3% | +1.1% |
| 1999 | 11.4% | +1.1% |
| 2000 | 11.5% | +1.1% |
| 2001 | 11.7% | +1.1% |
| 2002 | 11.8% | +1.0% |
| 2003 | 11.9% | +1.0% |
| 2004 | 12.0% | +1.0% |
| 2005 | 12.2% | +1.0% |
| 2006 | 12.3% | +1.1% |
| 2007 | 12.4% | +1.1% |
| 2008 | 12.6% | +1.1% |
| 2009 | 12.7% | +1.1% |
| 2010 | 12.8% | +0.9% |
| 2011 | 12.9% | +0.8% |
| 2012 | 13.0% | +0.7% |
| 2013 | 13.1% | +0.6% |
| 2014 | 13.1% | +0.5% |
| 2015 | 13.2% | +0.4% |
| 2016 | 13.3% | +0.4% |
| 2017 | 13.3% | +0.5% |
| 2018 | 13.4% | +0.5% |
| 2019 | 13.4% | +0.5% |
| 2020 | 13.5% | +0.6% |
| 2021 | 13.6% | +0.7% |
| 2022 | 13.7% | +0.7% |
| 2023 | 13.8% | +0.8% |
| 2024 | 13.9% | +0.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 9.8% | 9.5% | 10.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 10.9% | 10.3% | 11.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 12.1% | 11.5% | 12.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 13.2% | 12.8% | 13.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 13.7% | 13.5% | 13.9% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Saudi Arabia
More health data for Saudi Arabia
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -0.8373 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.3736 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 483.6 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 829 deaths (2100)
- Population ages 65-69, male, annual growth rate 10.2 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 65-69, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 65-69, male, per capita 0.0079 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 70-74, female, annual growth rate 7.67 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 70-74, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 70-74, female, per capita 0.0034 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is thinness among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age < -2 standard in Saudi Arabia?
- Thinness among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age < -2 standard in Saudi Arabia was 13.9% 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 Saudi Arabia?
- The highest recorded value was 13.9% in 2024.
- What is the lowest thinness among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age < -2 standard recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The lowest recorded value was 9.5% in 1980.
- How does Saudi Arabia rank for thinness among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age < -2 standard?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 12th out of 198 countries with data for 2024.
- Is thinness among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age < -2 standard rising or falling in Saudi Arabia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Saudi Arabia 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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