Underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate) in Eastern Mediterranean (WHO region)
Eastern Mediterranean (WHO region): Underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate) was 5.7% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
5.7%
Change on year
down 1.9%
Rank
7th
of 11 groups
All-time high
18.1%
in 1980
All-time low
5.7%
in 2024
Years of data
45
1980–2024
Underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate) in Eastern Mediterranean (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 Eastern Mediterranean (WHO region) is 5.7%, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 45 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.9% on the previous year and down 19.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate) in Eastern Mediterranean (WHO region) peaked at 18.1% in 1980 and was at its lowest, 5.7%, 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 Eastern Mediterranean (WHO region), year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 18.1% | — |
| 1981 | 17.6% | -2.4% |
| 1982 | 17.2% | -2.5% |
| 1983 | 16.8% | -2.3% |
| 1984 | 16.4% | -2.4% |
| 1985 | 16.0% | -2.4% |
| 1986 | 15.6% | -2.5% |
| 1987 | 15.2% | -2.5% |
| 1988 | 14.8% | -2.5% |
| 1989 | 14.5% | -2.5% |
| 1990 | 14.1% | -2.5% |
| 1991 | 13.7% | -2.6% |
| 1992 | 13.4% | -2.7% |
| 1993 | 13.0% | -2.5% |
| 1994 | 12.7% | -2.5% |
| 1995 | 12.4% | -2.6% |
| 1996 | 12.0% | -2.7% |
| 1997 | 11.7% | -2.8% |
| 1998 | 11.4% | -2.9% |
| 1999 | 11.0% | -3.0% |
| 2000 | 10.7% | -3.0% |
| 2001 | 10.4% | -3.0% |
| 2002 | 10.1% | -3.0% |
| 2003 | 9.7% | -3.1% |
| 2004 | 9.4% | -3.1% |
| 2005 | 9.2% | -3.1% |
| 2006 | 8.9% | -3.1% |
| 2007 | 8.6% | -3.0% |
| 2008 | 8.4% | -2.9% |
| 2009 | 8.1% | -2.8% |
| 2010 | 7.9% | -2.8% |
| 2011 | 7.7% | -2.9% |
| 2012 | 7.4% | -2.9% |
| 2013 | 7.2% | -2.9% |
| 2014 | 7.0% | -2.8% |
| 2015 | 6.8% | -2.7% |
| 2016 | 6.7% | -2.6% |
| 2017 | 6.5% | -2.3% |
| 2018 | 6.4% | -2.2% |
| 2019 | 6.2% | -2.1% |
| 2020 | 6.1% | -2.0% |
| 2021 | 6.0% | -1.9% |
| 2022 | 5.9% | -1.9% |
| 2023 | 5.8% | -2.0% |
| 2024 | 5.7% | -1.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 16.2% | 14.5% | 18.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 12.5% | 11.0% | 14.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 9.3% | 8.1% | 10.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.0% | 6.2% | 7.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.9% | 5.7% | 6.1% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Eastern Mediterranean (WHO region)
- 4 Central African Republic 19.8% compare
- 5 Niger 19.3% compare
- 6 Madagascar 18.4% compare
- 7 Burundi 17.9% compare
- 8 Somalia 17.5% compare
- 9 South Sudan 17.4% compare
- 10 Myanmar 15.7% compare
More health data for Eastern Mediterranean (WHO region)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 482 (2025)
- Measles - number of reported cases, gaps filled 83,590 (2025)
- Diphtheria - number of reported cases, gaps filled 5,830 (2025)
- Total tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 524 (2025)
- Pertussis - number of reported cases, gaps filled 14,992 (2025)
- Number of under-five deaths, annual growth rate -2.69 % change on previous year (2024)
- Number of neonatal deaths, annual growth rate -2.01 % change on previous year (2024)
- Number of infant deaths, annual growth rate -2.36 % change on previous year (2024)
- Measles - number of reported cases, annual growth rate 6.13 % change on previous year (2025)
- Pertussis - number of reported cases, annual growth rate 140.84 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate) in Eastern Mediterranean (WHO region)?
- Underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate) in Eastern Mediterranean (WHO region) was 5.7% 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 Eastern Mediterranean (WHO region)?
- The highest recorded value was 18.1% in 1980.
- What is the lowest underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate) recorded in Eastern Mediterranean (WHO region)?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.7% in 2024.
- How does Eastern Mediterranean (WHO region) rank for underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate)?
- Eastern Mediterranean (WHO region) ranks 7th out of 11 groups with data for 2024.
- Is underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate) rising or falling in Eastern Mediterranean (WHO region)?
- Over the last ten years it is down 19.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Eastern Mediterranean (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).