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

Zimbabwe: Underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate) was 6.9% in 2024. ▼ Falling

Latest (2024)
6.9%
Change on year
down 0.7%
World rank
55th
of 198 countries
All-time high
12.4%
in 1980
All-time low
6.9%
in 2024
Years of data
45
1980–2024

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

02.557.51012.51980200220241980: 12.41981: 12.31982: 12.21983: 121984: 11.91985: 11.81986: 11.71987: 11.61988: 11.61989: 11.51990: 11.41991: 11.31992: 11.21993: 11.11994: 111995: 10.91996: 10.81997: 10.61998: 10.51999: 10.42000: 10.32001: 10.12002: 102003: 9.82004: 9.72005: 9.52006: 9.32007: 9.12008: 8.92009: 8.72010: 8.52011: 8.32012: 8.12013: 7.92014: 7.82015: 7.62016: 7.52017: 7.42018: 7.32019: 7.22020: 7.12021: 7.12022: 72023: 72024: 6.9

Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.

Analysis

In 2024, underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate) in Zimbabwe stood at 6.9%. That is the lowest value across all 45 years on record.

The figure is down 0.7% on the previous year and down 10.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate) in Zimbabwe peaked at 12.4% in 1980 and was at its lowest, 6.9%, in 2024.

Zimbabwe ranks 55th of 198 countries on this measure, 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 Zimbabwe, year by year

Annual values for Underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate) (%) in Zimbabwe, 1980 to 2024.
Year Value Change
1980 12.4%
1981 12.3% -1.2%
1982 12.2% -1.0%
1983 12.0% -0.9%
1984 11.9% -0.9%
1985 11.8% -0.9%
1986 11.7% -0.8%
1987 11.6% -0.8%
1988 11.6% -0.8%
1989 11.5% -0.8%
1990 11.4% -0.9%
1991 11.3% -0.8%
1992 11.2% -0.6%
1993 11.1% -0.8%
1994 11.0% -1.2%
1995 10.9% -1.1%
1996 10.8% -1.0%
1997 10.6% -1.0%
1998 10.5% -1.1%
1999 10.4% -1.2%
2000 10.3% -1.3%
2001 10.1% -1.4%
2002 10.0% -1.4%
2003 9.8% -1.6%
2004 9.7% -1.7%
2005 9.5% -1.8%
2006 9.3% -1.9%
2007 9.1% -2.0%
2008 8.9% -2.1%
2009 8.7% -2.2%
2010 8.5% -2.3%
2011 8.3% -2.4%
2012 8.1% -2.4%
2013 7.9% -2.3%
2014 7.8% -2.1%
2015 7.6% -1.9%
2016 7.5% -1.7%
2017 7.4% -1.5%
2018 7.3% -1.3%
2019 7.2% -1.1%
2020 7.1% -1.0%
2021 7.1% -0.8%
2022 7.0% -0.7%
2023 7.0% -0.7%
2024 6.9% -0.7%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 11.9% 11.5% 12.4% 10
1990s 10.9% 10.4% 11.4% 10
2000s 9.5% 8.7% 10.3% 10
2010s 7.8% 7.2% 8.5% 10
2020s 7.0% 6.9% 7.1% 5

Countries ranked near Zimbabwe

  1. 52 Côte d'Ivoire 7.7% compare
  2. 53 Mauritius 7.2% compare
  3. 54 Gabon 7.0% compare
  4. 56 Pakistan 6.9% compare
  5. 57 Guyana 6.8% compare
  6. 58 Maldives 6.8% compare

See the full ranking of 211 places →

More health data for Zimbabwe

All data for Zimbabwe →

Frequently asked questions

What is underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate) in Zimbabwe?
Underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate) in Zimbabwe was 6.9% 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 Zimbabwe?
The highest recorded value was 12.4% in 1980.
What is the lowest underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate) recorded in Zimbabwe?
The lowest recorded value was 6.9% in 2024.
How does Zimbabwe rank for underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate)?
Zimbabwe ranks 55th out of 198 countries with data for 2024.
Is underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate) rising or falling in Zimbabwe?
Over the last ten years it is down 10.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Zimbabwe 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 Zimbabwe. Statizoid, drawing on World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory. Retrieved 05 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/underweight-among-adults-bmi-18-5-kg-m2-age-standardized-estimate-percent/zimbabwe/

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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
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