Underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate) in Africa (WHO region)
Africa (WHO region): Underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate) was 11.3% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
11.3%
Change on year
down 0.4%
Rank
3rd
of 11 groups
All-time high
18.8%
in 1980
All-time low
11.3%
in 2024
Years of data
45
1980–2024
Underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate) in Africa (WHO region), 1980–2024
Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
Analysis
The most recent figure for underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate) in Africa (WHO region) is 11.3%, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 45 years on record.
That represents a change of down 0.4% on the previous year and down 6.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate) in Africa (WHO region) peaked at 18.8% in 1980 and was at its lowest, 11.3%, in 2024.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 45 years of available data.
Underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate) in Africa (WHO region), year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 18.8% | — |
| 1981 | 18.6% | -1.2% |
| 1982 | 18.4% | -1.1% |
| 1983 | 18.2% | -1.1% |
| 1984 | 18.0% | -1.2% |
| 1985 | 17.8% | -1.2% |
| 1986 | 17.6% | -1.2% |
| 1987 | 17.4% | -1.1% |
| 1988 | 17.2% | -1.1% |
| 1989 | 17.0% | -1.1% |
| 1990 | 16.8% | -1.1% |
| 1991 | 16.6% | -1.1% |
| 1992 | 16.5% | -1.1% |
| 1993 | 16.3% | -1.1% |
| 1994 | 16.1% | -1.0% |
| 1995 | 16.0% | -1.0% |
| 1996 | 15.8% | -1.2% |
| 1997 | 15.6% | -1.3% |
| 1998 | 15.4% | -1.3% |
| 1999 | 15.2% | -1.3% |
| 2000 | 15.0% | -1.3% |
| 2001 | 14.8% | -1.4% |
| 2002 | 14.6% | -1.4% |
| 2003 | 14.3% | -1.5% |
| 2004 | 14.1% | -1.5% |
| 2005 | 13.9% | -1.5% |
| 2006 | 13.7% | -1.6% |
| 2007 | 13.5% | -1.6% |
| 2008 | 13.3% | -1.6% |
| 2009 | 13.0% | -1.6% |
| 2010 | 12.8% | -1.6% |
| 2011 | 12.6% | -1.5% |
| 2012 | 12.4% | -1.5% |
| 2013 | 12.3% | -1.4% |
| 2014 | 12.1% | -1.3% |
| 2015 | 12.0% | -1.2% |
| 2016 | 11.8% | -1.1% |
| 2017 | 11.7% | -1.0% |
| 2018 | 11.6% | -0.9% |
| 2019 | 11.5% | -0.7% |
| 2020 | 11.5% | -0.6% |
| 2021 | 11.4% | -0.5% |
| 2022 | 11.4% | -0.4% |
| 2023 | 11.3% | -0.4% |
| 2024 | 11.3% | -0.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 17.9% | 17.0% | 18.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 16.0% | 15.2% | 16.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 14.0% | 13.0% | 15.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 12.1% | 11.5% | 12.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 11.4% | 11.3% | 11.5% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Africa (WHO region)
- 1 Eritrea 37.1% compare
- 2 Ethiopia 21.8% compare
- 3 Timor-Leste 19.9% compare
- 4 Central African Republic 19.8% compare
- 5 Niger 19.3% compare
- 6 Madagascar 18.4% compare
More health data for Africa (WHO region)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 1,654 (2025)
- Measles - number of reported cases, gaps filled 179,400 (2025)
- Diphtheria - number of reported cases, gaps filled 20,261 (2025)
- Total tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 20,578 (2025)
- Pertussis - number of reported cases, gaps filled 12,202 (2025)
- Number of under-five deaths, annual growth rate -1.43 % change on previous year (2024)
- Number of neonatal deaths, annual growth rate -0.0365 % change on previous year (2024)
- Number of infant deaths, annual growth rate -0.8695 % change on previous year (2024)
- Measles - number of reported cases, annual growth rate -8.02 % change on previous year (2025)
- Pertussis - number of reported cases, annual growth rate 160.28 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate) in Africa (WHO region)?
- Underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate) in Africa (WHO region) was 11.3% in 2024, according to World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
- What is the highest underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate) recorded in Africa (WHO region)?
- The highest recorded value was 18.8% in 1980.
- What is the lowest underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate) recorded in Africa (WHO region)?
- The lowest recorded value was 11.3% in 2024.
- How does Africa (WHO region) rank for underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate)?
- Africa (WHO region) ranks 3rd out of 11 groups with data for 2024.
- Is underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate) rising or falling in Africa (WHO region)?
- Over the last ten years it is down 6.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Africa (WHO region) data come from?
- The figures come from World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory, published as part of Underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate) (%). 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).