Thinness among children and adolescents, BMI-for-age < -2 standard in South Africa
South Africa: Thinness among children and adolescents, BMI-for-age < -2 standard was 2.6% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
2.6%
Change on year
down 2.1%
World rank
129th
of 198 countries
All-time high
19.5%
in 1980
All-time low
2.6%
in 2024
Years of data
45
1980–2024
Thinness among children and adolescents, BMI-for-age < -2 standard in South Africa, 1980–2024
Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
Analysis
In 2024, thinness among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age < -2 standard in South Africa stood at 2.6%. That is the lowest value across all 45 years on record.
That represents a change of down 2.1% on the previous year and down 28.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, thinness among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age < -2 standard in South Africa peaked at 19.5% in 1980 and was at its lowest, 2.6%, in 2024.
That places South Africa 129th out of 198 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Thinness among children and adolescents, BMI-for-age < -2 standard in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 19.5% | — |
| 1981 | 19.2% | -1.5% |
| 1982 | 18.9% | -1.5% |
| 1983 | 18.6% | -1.5% |
| 1984 | 18.3% | -1.6% |
| 1985 | 18.1% | -1.6% |
| 1986 | 17.8% | -1.6% |
| 1987 | 17.5% | -1.7% |
| 1988 | 17.1% | -1.8% |
| 1989 | 16.8% | -2.0% |
| 1990 | 16.4% | -2.2% |
| 1991 | 16.0% | -2.4% |
| 1992 | 15.6% | -2.7% |
| 1993 | 15.1% | -3.0% |
| 1994 | 14.6% | -3.4% |
| 1995 | 14.0% | -3.9% |
| 1996 | 13.4% | -4.4% |
| 1997 | 12.7% | -5.1% |
| 1998 | 12.0% | -5.7% |
| 1999 | 11.3% | -6.2% |
| 2000 | 10.5% | -6.8% |
| 2001 | 9.7% | -7.3% |
| 2002 | 9.0% | -7.8% |
| 2003 | 8.2% | -8.1% |
| 2004 | 7.6% | -8.3% |
| 2005 | 6.9% | -8.4% |
| 2006 | 6.3% | -8.4% |
| 2007 | 5.8% | -8.2% |
| 2008 | 5.4% | -7.9% |
| 2009 | 5.0% | -7.4% |
| 2010 | 4.6% | -6.9% |
| 2011 | 4.3% | -6.4% |
| 2012 | 4.1% | -5.9% |
| 2013 | 3.9% | -5.4% |
| 2014 | 3.7% | -4.9% |
| 2015 | 3.5% | -4.5% |
| 2016 | 3.4% | -4.1% |
| 2017 | 3.2% | -3.8% |
| 2018 | 3.1% | -3.6% |
| 2019 | 3.0% | -3.3% |
| 2020 | 2.9% | -3.1% |
| 2021 | 2.8% | -2.8% |
| 2022 | 2.8% | -2.6% |
| 2023 | 2.7% | -2.3% |
| 2024 | 2.6% | -2.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 18.2% | 16.8% | 19.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | 14.1% | 11.3% | 16.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 7.4% | 5.0% | 10.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.7% | 3.0% | 4.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.8% | 2.6% | 2.9% | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 126 Brunei Darussalam 2.8% compare
- 127 El Salvador 2.7% compare
- 128 Belize 2.7% compare
- 130 Eswatini 2.6% compare
- 131 Antigua and Barbuda 2.6% compare
- 132 Egypt 2.6% compare
More health data for South Africa
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -2.2 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.1386 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,152 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 3,333 deaths (2100)
- Population ages 30-34, female, annual growth rate -0.1331 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 30-34, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 30-34, female, per capita 0.0446 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 30-34, male, annual growth rate -0.6047 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 30-34, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 30-34, male, per capita 0.0435 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is thinness among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age < -2 standard in South Africa?
- Thinness among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age < -2 standard in South Africa was 2.6% 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 South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 19.5% in 1980.
- What is the lowest thinness among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age < -2 standard recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.6% in 2024.
- How does South Africa rank for thinness among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age < -2 standard?
- South Africa ranks 129th out of 198 countries with data for 2024.
- Is thinness among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age < -2 standard rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 28.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Africa 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
CSV · JSON — 45 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (WHO).