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

Italy: Underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate) was 2.6% in 2024. ▼ Falling

Latest (2024)
2.6%
Change on year
up 1.7%
World rank
125th
of 198 countries
All-time high
2.8%
in 1980
All-time low
2.2%
in 2009
Years of data
45
1980–2024

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

01231980200220241980: 2.81981: 2.81982: 2.71983: 2.71984: 2.71985: 2.71986: 2.71987: 2.61988: 2.61989: 2.61990: 2.61991: 2.61992: 2.51993: 2.51994: 2.51995: 2.51996: 2.51997: 2.41998: 2.41999: 2.42000: 2.42001: 2.32002: 2.32003: 2.32004: 2.32005: 2.32006: 2.32007: 2.22008: 2.22009: 2.22010: 2.22011: 2.22012: 2.32013: 2.32014: 2.32015: 2.32016: 2.32017: 2.42018: 2.42019: 2.42020: 2.52021: 2.52022: 2.52023: 2.62024: 2.6

Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.

Analysis

Italy recorded 2.6% for underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate) in 2024.

The figure is up 1.7% on the previous year and up 15.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate) in Italy peaked at 2.8% in 1980 and was at its lowest, 2.2%, in 2009.

That places Italy 125th out of 198 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.

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 Italy, year by year

Annual values for Underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate) (%) in Italy, 1980 to 2024.
Year Value Change
1980 2.8%
1981 2.8% -1.0%
1982 2.7% -0.8%
1983 2.7% -0.8%
1984 2.7% -0.7%
1985 2.7% -0.7%
1986 2.7% -0.7%
1987 2.6% -0.7%
1988 2.6% -0.6%
1989 2.6% -0.6%
1990 2.6% -0.7%
1991 2.6% -0.7%
1992 2.5% -0.8%
1993 2.5% -0.8%
1994 2.5% -0.9%
1995 2.5% -0.9%
1996 2.5% -1.0%
1997 2.4% -1.0%
1998 2.4% -1.0%
1999 2.4% -1.0%
2000 2.4% -0.9%
2001 2.3% -0.9%
2002 2.3% -0.9%
2003 2.3% -0.9%
2004 2.3% -0.9%
2005 2.3% -0.7%
2006 2.3% -0.6%
2007 2.2% -0.5%
2008 2.2% -0.3%
2009 2.2% -0.1%
2010 2.2% +0.1%
2011 2.2% +0.3%
2012 2.3% +0.5%
2013 2.3% +0.7%
2014 2.3% +0.9%
2015 2.3% +1.0%
2016 2.3% +1.0%
2017 2.4% +1.1%
2018 2.4% +1.2%
2019 2.4% +1.4%
2020 2.5% +1.6%
2021 2.5% +1.6%
2022 2.5% +1.7%
2023 2.6% +1.7%
2024 2.6% +1.7%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 2.7% 2.6% 2.8% 10
1990s 2.5% 2.4% 2.6% 10
2000s 2.3% 2.2% 2.4% 10
2010s 2.3% 2.2% 2.4% 10
2020s 2.5% 2.5% 2.6% 5

Countries ranked near Italy

  1. 122 Qatar 2.7% compare
  2. 123 Greenland 2.7% compare
  3. 124 Cyprus 2.7% compare
  4. 126 Honduras 2.6% compare
  5. 127 Palestine, State of 2.6% compare
  6. 128 Saint Kitts and Nevis 2.6% compare

See the full ranking of 211 places →

More health data for Italy

All data for Italy →

Frequently asked questions

What is underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate) in Italy?
Underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate) in Italy was 2.6% 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 Italy?
The highest recorded value was 2.8% in 1980.
What is the lowest underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate) recorded in Italy?
The lowest recorded value was 2.2% in 2009.
How does Italy rank for underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate)?
Italy ranks 125th out of 198 countries with data for 2024.
Is underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate) rising or falling in Italy?
Over the last ten years it is up 15.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Italy 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 Italy. Statizoid, drawing on World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory. Retrieved 07 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/underweight-among-adults-bmi-18-5-kg-m2-age-standardized-estimate-percent/italy/

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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