Thinness among children and adolescents, BMI-for-age < -2 standard in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Thinness among children and adolescents, BMI-for-age < -2 standard was 1.1% in 2024. ▼ Falling

Latest (2024)
1.1%
Change on year
up 2.5%
World rank
191st
of 198 countries
All-time high
1.4%
in 1980
All-time low
0.7%
in 1999
Years of data
45
1980–2024

Thinness among children and adolescents, BMI-for-age < -2 standard in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 1980–2024

00.511.51980200220241980: 1.41981: 1.41982: 1.31983: 1.21984: 1.21985: 1.11986: 11987: 0.9871988: 0.9421989: 0.9021990: 0.8671991: 0.8361992: 0.811993: 0.7891994: 0.7721995: 0.761996: 0.7511997: 0.7451998: 0.7421999: 0.7422000: 0.7432001: 0.7462002: 0.752003: 0.7562004: 0.7642005: 0.7732006: 0.7842007: 0.7942008: 0.8052009: 0.8162010: 0.8272011: 0.8382012: 0.8492013: 0.8632014: 0.8772015: 0.8912016: 0.9052017: 0.9192018: 0.9332019: 0.9492020: 0.9672021: 0.9882022: 12023: 12024: 1.1

Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.

Analysis

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland recorded 1.1% for thinness among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age < -2 standard in 2024.

That represents a change of up 2.5% on the previous year and up 21.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, thinness among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age < -2 standard in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland peaked at 1.4% in 1980 and was at its lowest, 0.7%, in 1999.

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 191st of 198 countries on this measure, 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 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, year by year

Annual values for Thinness among children and adolescents, BMI-for-age < -2 standard deviations below the median (%) in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 1980 to 2024.
Year Value Change
1980 1.4%
1981 1.4% -5.5%
1982 1.3% -5.4%
1983 1.2% -5.4%
1984 1.2% -5.3%
1985 1.1% -5.2%
1986 1.0% -5.0%
1987 1.0% -4.8%
1988 0.9% -4.6%
1989 0.9% -4.3%
1990 0.9% -3.9%
1991 0.8% -3.5%
1992 0.8% -3.1%
1993 0.8% -2.6%
1994 0.8% -2.1%
1995 0.8% -1.6%
1996 0.8% -1.1%
1997 0.7% -0.8%
1998 0.7% -0.4%
1999 0.7% -0.1%
2000 0.7% +0.2%
2001 0.7% +0.4%
2002 0.8% +0.6%
2003 0.8% +0.8%
2004 0.8% +1.0%
2005 0.8% +1.2%
2006 0.8% +1.3%
2007 0.8% +1.3%
2008 0.8% +1.4%
2009 0.8% +1.3%
2010 0.8% +1.3%
2011 0.8% +1.3%
2012 0.8% +1.4%
2013 0.9% +1.6%
2014 0.9% +1.6%
2015 0.9% +1.6%
2016 0.9% +1.6%
2017 0.9% +1.5%
2018 0.9% +1.6%
2019 0.9% +1.7%
2020 1.0% +1.9%
2021 1.0% +2.1%
2022 1.0% +2.3%
2023 1.0% +2.4%
2024 1.1% +2.5%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 1.1% 0.9% 1.4% 10
1990s 0.8% 0.7% 0.9% 10
2000s 0.8% 0.7% 0.8% 10
2010s 0.9% 0.8% 0.9% 10
2020s 1.0% 1.0% 1.1% 5

Countries ranked near United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

  1. 188 Naoero 1.2% compare
  2. 189 United States of America 1.1% compare
  3. 190 Niue 1.1% compare
  4. 192 Sweden 1.0% compare
  5. 193 Finland 1.0% compare
  6. 194 Bolivia, Plurinational State of 1.0% compare

See the full ranking of 211 places →

More health data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

All data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland →

Frequently asked questions

What is thinness among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age < -2 standard in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
Thinness among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age < -2 standard in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was 1.1% 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 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
The highest recorded value was 1.4% in 1980.
What is the lowest thinness among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age < -2 standard recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
The lowest recorded value was 0.7% in 1999.
How does United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank for thinness among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age < -2 standard?
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 191st out of 198 countries with data for 2024.
Is thinness among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age < -2 standard rising or falling in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
Over the last ten years it is up 21.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 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 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Statizoid, drawing on World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory. Retrieved 06 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/thinness-among-children-and-adolescents-bmi-for-age-2-standard-deviations-below-the/united-kingdom/

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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