Underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 kg/m2 (crude estimate) in Benin

Benin: Underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 kg/m2 (crude estimate) was 7.9% in 2024. ▼ Falling

Latest (2024)
7.9%
Change on year
down 0.3%
World rank
48th
of 198 countries
All-time high
18.3%
in 1980
All-time low
7.9%
in 2024
Years of data
45
1980–2024

Underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 kg/m2 (crude estimate) in Benin, 1980–2024

051015201980200220241980: 18.31981: 181982: 17.61983: 17.31984: 171985: 16.61986: 16.31987: 161988: 15.61989: 15.31990: 151991: 14.71992: 14.31993: 141994: 13.71995: 13.41996: 13.11997: 12.81998: 12.51999: 12.22000: 11.92001: 11.62002: 11.32003: 112004: 10.72005: 10.42006: 10.12007: 9.92008: 9.62009: 9.42010: 9.12011: 8.92012: 8.82013: 8.62014: 8.52015: 8.42016: 8.32017: 8.22018: 8.12019: 82020: 82021: 7.92022: 7.92023: 7.92024: 7.9

Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.

Analysis

The most recent figure for underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (crude estimate) in Benin is 7.9%, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 45 years on record.

That represents a change of down 0.3% on the previous year and down 7.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (crude estimate) in Benin peaked at 18.3% in 1980 and was at its lowest, 7.9%, in 2024.

That places Benin 48th out of 198 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 45 years of available data.

Underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 kg/m2 (crude estimate) in Benin, year by year

Annual values for Underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 kg/m2 (crude estimate) (%) in Benin, 1980 to 2024.
Year Value Change
1980 18.3%
1981 18.0% -1.9%
1982 17.6% -1.9%
1983 17.3% -1.9%
1984 17.0% -2.0%
1985 16.6% -2.0%
1986 16.3% -2.0%
1987 16.0% -2.0%
1988 15.6% -2.0%
1989 15.3% -2.1%
1990 15.0% -2.1%
1991 14.7% -2.1%
1992 14.3% -2.2%
1993 14.0% -2.4%
1994 13.7% -2.3%
1995 13.4% -2.1%
1996 13.1% -2.2%
1997 12.8% -2.3%
1998 12.5% -2.4%
1999 12.2% -2.5%
2000 11.9% -2.5%
2001 11.6% -2.6%
2002 11.3% -2.6%
2003 11.0% -2.6%
2004 10.7% -2.6%
2005 10.4% -2.7%
2006 10.1% -2.6%
2007 9.9% -2.6%
2008 9.6% -2.5%
2009 9.4% -2.5%
2010 9.1% -2.3%
2011 8.9% -2.2%
2012 8.8% -2.0%
2013 8.6% -1.8%
2014 8.5% -1.6%
2015 8.4% -1.4%
2016 8.3% -1.2%
2017 8.2% -1.1%
2018 8.1% -0.9%
2019 8.0% -0.8%
2020 8.0% -0.6%
2021 7.9% -0.5%
2022 7.9% -0.4%
2023 7.9% -0.3%
2024 7.9% -0.3%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 16.8% 15.3% 18.3% 10
1990s 13.6% 12.2% 15.0% 10
2000s 10.6% 9.4% 11.9% 10
2010s 8.5% 8.0% 9.1% 10
2020s 7.9% 7.9% 8.0% 5

Countries ranked near Benin

  1. 45 Mauritania 8.4% compare
  2. 46 Lao People's Democratic Republic 8.2% compare
  3. 47 Zambia 8.1% compare
  4. 49 Pakistan 7.6% compare
  5. 50 Malawi 7.6% compare
  6. 51 Togo 7.6% compare

See the full ranking of 211 places →

More health data for Benin

All data for Benin →

Frequently asked questions

What is underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (crude estimate) in Benin?
Underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (crude estimate) in Benin was 7.9% in 2024, according to World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
What is the highest underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (crude estimate) recorded in Benin?
The highest recorded value was 18.3% in 1980.
What is the lowest underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (crude estimate) recorded in Benin?
The lowest recorded value was 7.9% in 2024.
How does Benin rank for underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (crude estimate)?
Benin ranks 48th out of 198 countries with data for 2024.
Is underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (crude estimate) rising or falling in Benin?
Over the last ten years it is down 7.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Benin 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 (crude estimate) (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 kg/m2 (crude estimate) in Benin. Statizoid, drawing on World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory. Retrieved 08 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/underweight-among-adults-bmi-18-5-kg-m2-crude-estimate-percent/benin/

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About this data

Indicator
Underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 kg/m2 (crude 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