Underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate) in South-East Asia (WHO region)
South-East Asia (WHO region): Underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate) was 12.1% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
12.1%
Change on year
down 5.2%
Rank
2nd
of 11 groups
All-time high
48.4%
in 1980
All-time low
12.1%
in 2024
Years of data
45
1980–2024
Underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate) in South-East Asia (WHO region), 1980–2024
Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
Analysis
South-East Asia (WHO region) recorded 12.1% 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.
The figure is down 5.2% on the previous year and down 39.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate) in South-East Asia (WHO region) peaked at 48.4% in 1980 and was at its lowest, 12.1%, 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 South-East Asia (WHO region), year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 48.4% | — |
| 1981 | 47.6% | -1.8% |
| 1982 | 46.7% | -1.9% |
| 1983 | 45.8% | -1.9% |
| 1984 | 44.9% | -2.0% |
| 1985 | 44.0% | -2.0% |
| 1986 | 43.1% | -2.0% |
| 1987 | 42.3% | -2.0% |
| 1988 | 41.4% | -2.0% |
| 1989 | 40.6% | -2.0% |
| 1990 | 39.8% | -2.0% |
| 1991 | 39.0% | -2.0% |
| 1992 | 38.3% | -1.9% |
| 1993 | 37.5% | -1.9% |
| 1994 | 36.8% | -1.9% |
| 1995 | 36.1% | -1.9% |
| 1996 | 35.4% | -2.0% |
| 1997 | 34.7% | -2.0% |
| 1998 | 33.9% | -2.2% |
| 1999 | 33.2% | -2.3% |
| 2000 | 32.4% | -2.4% |
| 2001 | 31.6% | -2.5% |
| 2002 | 30.7% | -2.6% |
| 2003 | 29.9% | -2.7% |
| 2004 | 29.0% | -2.8% |
| 2005 | 28.2% | -3.0% |
| 2006 | 27.3% | -3.1% |
| 2007 | 26.4% | -3.3% |
| 2008 | 25.5% | -3.4% |
| 2009 | 24.6% | -3.6% |
| 2010 | 23.6% | -3.8% |
| 2011 | 22.7% | -4.0% |
| 2012 | 21.7% | -4.2% |
| 2013 | 20.8% | -4.3% |
| 2014 | 19.9% | -4.5% |
| 2015 | 19.0% | -4.5% |
| 2016 | 18.1% | -4.6% |
| 2017 | 17.2% | -4.7% |
| 2018 | 16.4% | -4.8% |
| 2019 | 15.6% | -4.8% |
| 2020 | 14.9% | -4.9% |
| 2021 | 14.1% | -5.0% |
| 2022 | 13.4% | -5.0% |
| 2023 | 12.7% | -5.1% |
| 2024 | 12.1% | -5.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 44.5% | 40.6% | 48.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 36.5% | 33.2% | 39.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 28.6% | 24.6% | 32.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 19.5% | 15.6% | 23.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 13.4% | 12.1% | 14.9% | 5 |
Countries ranked near South-East Asia (WHO region)
- 1 Eritrea 37.1% compare
- 2 Ethiopia 21.8% compare
- 3 Timor-Leste 19.9% compare
- 4 Central African Republic 19.8% compare
- 5 Niger 19.3% compare
More health data for South-East Asia (WHO region)
- Pertussis - number of reported cases, gaps filled 2,449 (2025)
- Total tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 164 (2025)
- Diphtheria - number of reported cases, gaps filled 3,416 (2025)
- Measles - number of reported cases, gaps filled 19,075 (2025)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 84 (2025)
- Number of under-five deaths, annual growth rate -4.64 % change on previous year (2024)
- Number of neonatal deaths, annual growth rate -4.57 % change on previous year (2024)
- Number of infant deaths, annual growth rate -4.21 % change on previous year (2024)
- Measles - number of reported cases, annual growth rate -30.44 % change on previous year (2025)
- Pertussis - number of reported cases, annual growth rate -67.98 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate) in South-East Asia (WHO region)?
- Underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate) in South-East Asia (WHO region) was 12.1% 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 South-East Asia (WHO region)?
- The highest recorded value was 48.4% in 1980.
- What is the lowest underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate) recorded in South-East Asia (WHO region)?
- The lowest recorded value was 12.1% in 2024.
- How does South-East Asia (WHO region) rank for underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate)?
- South-East Asia (WHO region) ranks 2nd out of 11 groups with data for 2024.
- Is underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate) rising or falling in South-East Asia (WHO region)?
- Over the last ten years it is down 39.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South-East Asia (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.
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CSV · JSON — 45 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (WHO).