Underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate) in Upper-middle income (World Bank)
Upper-middle income (World Bank): Underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate) was 4.5% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
4.5%
Change on year
down 2.0%
Rank
8th
of 11 groups
All-time high
12.6%
in 1980
All-time low
4.5%
in 2024
Years of data
45
1980–2024
Underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate) in Upper-middle income (World Bank), 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 Upper-middle income (World Bank) is 4.5%, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 45 years on record.
The figure is down 2.0% on the previous year and down 21.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate) in Upper-middle income (World Bank) peaked at 12.6% in 1980 and was at its lowest, 4.5%, 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 Upper-middle income (World Bank), year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 12.6% | — |
| 1981 | 12.3% | -2.1% |
| 1982 | 12.0% | -2.1% |
| 1983 | 11.8% | -2.2% |
| 1984 | 11.5% | -2.2% |
| 1985 | 11.3% | -2.3% |
| 1986 | 11.0% | -2.4% |
| 1987 | 10.7% | -2.4% |
| 1988 | 10.5% | -2.5% |
| 1989 | 10.2% | -2.5% |
| 1990 | 9.9% | -2.5% |
| 1991 | 9.7% | -2.5% |
| 1992 | 9.4% | -2.5% |
| 1993 | 9.2% | -2.4% |
| 1994 | 9.0% | -2.4% |
| 1995 | 8.8% | -2.3% |
| 1996 | 8.6% | -2.3% |
| 1997 | 8.4% | -2.2% |
| 1998 | 8.2% | -2.1% |
| 1999 | 8.0% | -2.0% |
| 2000 | 7.9% | -2.0% |
| 2001 | 7.7% | -1.9% |
| 2002 | 7.6% | -2.0% |
| 2003 | 7.4% | -2.0% |
| 2004 | 7.3% | -2.1% |
| 2005 | 7.1% | -2.1% |
| 2006 | 7.0% | -2.2% |
| 2007 | 6.8% | -2.2% |
| 2008 | 6.7% | -2.3% |
| 2009 | 6.5% | -2.4% |
| 2010 | 6.3% | -2.4% |
| 2011 | 6.2% | -2.5% |
| 2012 | 6.0% | -2.6% |
| 2013 | 5.9% | -2.7% |
| 2014 | 5.7% | -2.7% |
| 2015 | 5.5% | -2.8% |
| 2016 | 5.4% | -2.7% |
| 2017 | 5.2% | -2.7% |
| 2018 | 5.1% | -2.6% |
| 2019 | 5.0% | -2.5% |
| 2020 | 4.9% | -2.4% |
| 2021 | 4.7% | -2.3% |
| 2022 | 4.6% | -2.1% |
| 2023 | 4.6% | -2.0% |
| 2024 | 4.5% | -2.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 11.4% | 10.2% | 12.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 8.9% | 8.0% | 9.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 7.2% | 6.5% | 7.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.6% | 5.0% | 6.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.7% | 4.5% | 4.9% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Upper-middle income (World Bank)
More health data for Upper-middle income (World Bank)
- Measles - number of reported cases, gaps filled 91,627 (2025)
- Diphtheria - number of reported cases, gaps filled 1,556 (2025)
- Total tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 5,773 (2025)
- Pertussis - number of reported cases, gaps filled 63,803 (2025)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 212 (2025)
- Number of under-five deaths, annual growth rate -6.19 % change on previous year (2024)
- Number of neonatal deaths, annual growth rate -4.24 % change on previous year (2024)
- Number of infant deaths, annual growth rate -4.78 % change on previous year (2024)
- Measles - number of reported cases, annual growth rate -27.52 % change on previous year (2025)
- Pertussis - number of reported cases, annual growth rate -87.69 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate) in Upper-middle income (World Bank)?
- Underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate) in Upper-middle income (World Bank) was 4.5% 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 Upper-middle income (World Bank)?
- The highest recorded value was 12.6% in 1980.
- What is the lowest underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate) recorded in Upper-middle income (World Bank)?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.5% in 2024.
- How does Upper-middle income (World Bank) rank for underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate)?
- Upper-middle income (World Bank) ranks 8th out of 11 groups with data for 2024.
- Is underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate) rising or falling in Upper-middle income (World Bank)?
- Over the last ten years it is down 21.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Upper-middle income (World Bank) 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).