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

Central African Republic: Underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate) was 19.8% in 2024. ▼ Falling

Latest (2024)
19.8%
Change on year
down 0.4%
World rank
4th
of 198 countries
All-time high
22.6%
in 1997
All-time low
19.8%
in 2024
Years of data
45
1980–2024

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

05101520251980200220241980: 22.51981: 22.51982: 22.51983: 22.51984: 22.51985: 22.51986: 22.51987: 22.51988: 22.51989: 22.51990: 22.51991: 22.51992: 22.51993: 22.61994: 22.61995: 22.61996: 22.61997: 22.61998: 22.61999: 22.62000: 22.52001: 22.52002: 22.52003: 22.42004: 22.42005: 22.32006: 22.22007: 22.12008: 21.92009: 21.72010: 21.52011: 21.42012: 21.22013: 21.12014: 20.92015: 20.82016: 20.62017: 20.52018: 20.42019: 20.32020: 20.22021: 20.12022: 202023: 19.92024: 19.8

Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.

Analysis

Central African Republic recorded 19.8% for underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate) in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 45 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.4% on the previous year and down 5.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate) in Central African Republic peaked at 22.6% in 1997 and was at its lowest, 19.8%, in 2024.

That places Central African Republic 4th out of 198 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.

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 Central African Republic, year by year

Annual values for Underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate) (%) in Central African Republic, 1980 to 2024.
Year Value Change
1980 22.5%
1981 22.5% +0.0%
1982 22.5% +0.0%
1983 22.5% +0.0%
1984 22.5% +0.0%
1985 22.5% +0.0%
1986 22.5% +0.0%
1987 22.5% +0.0%
1988 22.5% +0.0%
1989 22.5% -0.0%
1990 22.5% -0.0%
1991 22.5% -0.0%
1992 22.5% +0.0%
1993 22.6% +0.0%
1994 22.6% +0.0%
1995 22.6% +0.0%
1996 22.6% +0.0%
1997 22.6% +0.0%
1998 22.6% -0.0%
1999 22.6% -0.0%
2000 22.5% -0.1%
2001 22.5% -0.1%
2002 22.5% -0.2%
2003 22.4% -0.2%
2004 22.4% -0.3%
2005 22.3% -0.4%
2006 22.2% -0.4%
2007 22.1% -0.5%
2008 21.9% -0.6%
2009 21.7% -0.8%
2010 21.5% -0.9%
2011 21.4% -0.7%
2012 21.2% -0.7%
2013 21.1% -0.8%
2014 20.9% -0.8%
2015 20.8% -0.7%
2016 20.6% -0.6%
2017 20.5% -0.6%
2018 20.4% -0.5%
2019 20.3% -0.5%
2020 20.2% -0.5%
2021 20.1% -0.4%
2022 20.0% -0.5%
2023 19.9% -0.5%
2024 19.8% -0.4%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 22.5% 22.5% 22.5% 10
1990s 22.6% 22.5% 22.6% 10
2000s 22.2% 21.7% 22.5% 10
2010s 20.9% 20.3% 21.5% 10
2020s 20.0% 19.8% 20.2% 5

Countries ranked near Central African Republic

  1. 1 Eritrea 37.1% compare
  2. 2 Ethiopia 21.8% compare
  3. 3 Timor-Leste 19.9% compare
  4. 5 Niger 19.3% compare
  5. 6 Madagascar 18.4% compare
  6. 7 Burundi 17.9% compare

See the full ranking of 211 places →

More health data for Central African Republic

All data for Central African Republic →

Frequently asked questions

What is underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate) in Central African Republic?
Underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate) in Central African Republic was 19.8% 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 Central African Republic?
The highest recorded value was 22.6% in 1997.
What is the lowest underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate) recorded in Central African Republic?
The lowest recorded value was 19.8% in 2024.
How does Central African Republic rank for underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate)?
Central African Republic ranks 4th out of 198 countries with data for 2024.
Is underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate) rising or falling in Central African Republic?
Over the last ten years it is down 5.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Central African Republic 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 Central African Republic. Statizoid, drawing on World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory. Retrieved 10 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/underweight-among-adults-bmi-18-5-kg-m2-age-standardized-estimate-percent/central-african-republic/

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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