Underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate) in Japan
Japan: Underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate) was 11.2% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
11.2%
Change on year
up 1.1%
World rank
31st
of 198 countries
All-time high
11.2%
in 2024
All-time low
8.3%
in 1992
Years of data
45
1980–2024
Underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate) in Japan, 1980–2024
Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
Analysis
Japan recorded 11.2% for underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate) in 2024. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.1% on the previous year and up 9.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate) in Japan peaked at 11.2% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 8.3%, in 1992.
Japan ranks 31st of 198 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 45 years of available data.
Underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate) in Japan, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 8.6% | — |
| 1981 | 8.6% | -0.3% |
| 1982 | 8.5% | -0.3% |
| 1983 | 8.5% | -0.2% |
| 1984 | 8.5% | -0.2% |
| 1985 | 8.5% | -0.3% |
| 1986 | 8.5% | -0.3% |
| 1987 | 8.4% | -0.4% |
| 1988 | 8.4% | -0.4% |
| 1989 | 8.4% | -0.4% |
| 1990 | 8.3% | -0.3% |
| 1991 | 8.3% | -0.2% |
| 1992 | 8.3% | -0.1% |
| 1993 | 8.3% | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 8.3% | +0.2% |
| 1995 | 8.3% | +0.3% |
| 1996 | 8.4% | +0.5% |
| 1997 | 8.4% | +0.6% |
| 1998 | 8.5% | +0.8% |
| 1999 | 8.6% | +0.9% |
| 2000 | 8.7% | +1.1% |
| 2001 | 8.8% | +1.1% |
| 2002 | 8.9% | +1.2% |
| 2003 | 9.0% | +1.2% |
| 2004 | 9.1% | +1.2% |
| 2005 | 9.2% | +1.3% |
| 2006 | 9.3% | +1.3% |
| 2007 | 9.4% | +1.3% |
| 2008 | 9.6% | +1.2% |
| 2009 | 9.7% | +1.2% |
| 2010 | 9.8% | +1.1% |
| 2011 | 9.9% | +1.1% |
| 2012 | 10.0% | +1.0% |
| 2013 | 10.1% | +0.9% |
| 2014 | 10.2% | +0.9% |
| 2015 | 10.3% | +0.8% |
| 2016 | 10.3% | +0.8% |
| 2017 | 10.4% | +0.8% |
| 2018 | 10.5% | +0.9% |
| 2019 | 10.6% | +0.9% |
| 2020 | 10.7% | +1.0% |
| 2021 | 10.8% | +1.0% |
| 2022 | 10.9% | +1.1% |
| 2023 | 11.1% | +1.1% |
| 2024 | 11.2% | +1.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 8.5% | 8.4% | 8.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 8.4% | 8.3% | 8.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 9.2% | 8.7% | 9.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 10.2% | 9.8% | 10.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 10.9% | 10.7% | 11.2% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Japan
- 28 Tanzania, United Republic of 11.8% compare
- 29 Haiti 11.4% compare
- 30 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 11.3% compare
- 32 Guinea-Bissau 10.8% compare
- 33 Mozambique 10.5% compare
- 34 Rwanda 10.2% compare
More health data for Japan
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -2.73 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.2774 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,294 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 178 deaths (2100)
- Population ages 40-44, male, annual growth rate -2.27 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 40-44, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 40-44, male, per capita 0.0299 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 45-49, female, annual growth rate -4.34 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 45-49, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 45-49, female, per capita 0.0341 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate) in Japan?
- Underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate) in Japan was 11.2% 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 Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 11.2% in 2024.
- What is the lowest underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate) recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was 8.3% in 1992.
- How does Japan rank for underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate)?
- Japan ranks 31st out of 198 countries with data for 2024.
- Is underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate) rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Japan 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).