Underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate) in Benin

Benin: Underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate) was 8.5% in 2024. ▼ Falling

Latest (2024)
8.5%
Change on year
down 0.5%
World rank
45th
of 198 countries
All-time high
19.1%
in 1980
All-time low
8.5%
in 2024
Years of data
45
1980–2024

Underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate) in Benin, 1980–2024

051015201980200220241980: 19.11981: 18.81982: 18.51983: 18.21984: 17.91985: 17.61986: 17.31987: 16.91988: 16.61989: 16.31990: 161991: 15.71992: 15.41993: 15.11994: 14.81995: 14.41996: 14.11997: 13.81998: 13.51999: 13.22000: 12.82001: 12.52002: 12.22003: 11.92004: 11.62005: 11.32006: 112007: 10.72008: 10.52009: 10.22010: 102011: 9.82012: 9.62013: 9.42014: 9.22015: 9.12016: 92017: 8.92018: 8.82019: 8.72020: 8.72021: 8.62022: 8.62023: 8.52024: 8.5

Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.

Analysis

In 2024, underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate) in Benin stood at 8.5%. That is the lowest value across all 45 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.5% on the previous year and down 8.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate) in Benin peaked at 19.1% in 1980 and was at its lowest, 8.5%, in 2024.

Benin ranks 45th of 198 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.

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 Benin, year by year

Annual values for Underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate) (%) in Benin, 1980 to 2024.
Year Value Change
1980 19.1%
1981 18.8% -1.6%
1982 18.5% -1.7%
1983 18.2% -1.7%
1984 17.9% -1.7%
1985 17.6% -1.8%
1986 17.3% -1.8%
1987 16.9% -1.8%
1988 16.6% -1.8%
1989 16.3% -1.9%
1990 16.0% -1.9%
1991 15.7% -2.0%
1992 15.4% -2.0%
1993 15.1% -2.0%
1994 14.8% -2.1%
1995 14.4% -2.1%
1996 14.1% -2.2%
1997 13.8% -2.3%
1998 13.5% -2.3%
1999 13.2% -2.4%
2000 12.8% -2.4%
2001 12.5% -2.5%
2002 12.2% -2.5%
2003 11.9% -2.6%
2004 11.6% -2.6%
2005 11.3% -2.6%
2006 11.0% -2.6%
2007 10.7% -2.5%
2008 10.5% -2.5%
2009 10.2% -2.4%
2010 10.0% -2.3%
2011 9.8% -2.1%
2012 9.6% -2.0%
2013 9.4% -1.8%
2014 9.2% -1.6%
2015 9.1% -1.4%
2016 9.0% -1.3%
2017 8.9% -1.1%
2018 8.8% -1.0%
2019 8.7% -0.8%
2020 8.7% -0.7%
2021 8.6% -0.6%
2022 8.6% -0.5%
2023 8.5% -0.5%
2024 8.5% -0.5%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 17.7% 16.3% 19.1% 10
1990s 14.6% 13.2% 16.0% 10
2000s 11.5% 10.2% 12.8% 10
2010s 9.3% 8.7% 10.0% 10
2020s 8.6% 8.5% 8.7% 5

Countries ranked near Benin

  1. 42 Nigeria 9.3% compare
  2. 43 Indonesia 9.2% compare
  3. 44 Lesotho 8.7% compare
  4. 46 Lao People's Democratic Republic 8.3% compare
  5. 47 Zambia 8.2% compare
  6. 48 Togo 8.2% compare

See the full ranking of 211 places →

More health data for Benin

All data for Benin →

Frequently asked questions

What is underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate) in Benin?
Underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate) in Benin was 8.5% 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 Benin?
The highest recorded value was 19.1% in 1980.
What is the lowest underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate) recorded in Benin?
The lowest recorded value was 8.5% in 2024.
How does Benin rank for underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate)?
Benin ranks 45th out of 198 countries with data for 2024.
Is underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate) rising or falling in Benin?
Over the last ten years it is down 8.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Benin 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.

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Underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate) in Benin. Statizoid, drawing on World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory. Retrieved 06 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/underweight-among-adults-bmi-18-5-kg-m2-age-standardized-estimate-percent/benin/

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About this data

Indicator
Underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate) (%)
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