Underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 kg/m2 (crude estimate) in Costa Rica
Costa Rica: Underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 kg/m2 (crude estimate) was 2.1% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 kg/m2 (crude estimate) in Costa Rica, 1980–2024
Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
Analysis
The most recent figure for underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (crude estimate) in Costa Rica is 2.1%, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 45 years on record.
That represents a change of down 0.5% on the previous year and down 10.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (crude estimate) in Costa Rica peaked at 8.8% in 1980 and was at its lowest, 2.1%, in 2024.
Costa Rica ranks 135th 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 (crude estimate) in Costa Rica, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 8.8% | — |
| 1981 | 8.5% | -3.9% |
| 1982 | 8.1% | -4.0% |
| 1983 | 7.8% | -4.2% |
| 1984 | 7.5% | -4.3% |
| 1985 | 7.1% | -4.4% |
| 1986 | 6.8% | -4.6% |
| 1987 | 6.5% | -4.8% |
| 1988 | 6.2% | -4.8% |
| 1989 | 5.9% | -4.9% |
| 1990 | 5.6% | -5.0% |
| 1991 | 5.3% | -5.0% |
| 1992 | 5.0% | -5.0% |
| 1993 | 4.8% | -4.9% |
| 1994 | 4.5% | -4.9% |
| 1995 | 4.3% | -4.8% |
| 1996 | 4.1% | -4.7% |
| 1997 | 3.9% | -4.5% |
| 1998 | 3.8% | -4.4% |
| 1999 | 3.6% | -4.2% |
| 2000 | 3.5% | -4.0% |
| 2001 | 3.3% | -3.8% |
| 2002 | 3.2% | -3.5% |
| 2003 | 3.1% | -3.3% |
| 2004 | 3.0% | -3.1% |
| 2005 | 2.9% | -2.9% |
| 2006 | 2.8% | -2.8% |
| 2007 | 2.8% | -2.7% |
| 2008 | 2.7% | -2.6% |
| 2009 | 2.6% | -2.5% |
| 2010 | 2.6% | -2.4% |
| 2011 | 2.5% | -2.3% |
| 2012 | 2.5% | -2.1% |
| 2013 | 2.4% | -1.9% |
| 2014 | 2.4% | -1.7% |
| 2015 | 2.3% | -1.6% |
| 2016 | 2.3% | -1.5% |
| 2017 | 2.3% | -1.2% |
| 2018 | 2.2% | -1.1% |
| 2019 | 2.2% | -1.0% |
| 2020 | 2.2% | -1.1% |
| 2021 | 2.2% | -1.0% |
| 2022 | 2.2% | -0.9% |
| 2023 | 2.1% | -0.6% |
| 2024 | 2.1% | -0.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 7.3% | 5.9% | 8.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.5% | 3.6% | 5.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.0% | 2.6% | 3.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.4% | 2.2% | 2.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.2% | 2.1% | 2.2% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Costa Rica
More health data for Costa Rica
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -2.78 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.4617 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,632 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 35 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -3.42 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0248 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -3.37 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (crude estimate) in Costa Rica?
- Underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (crude estimate) in Costa Rica was 2.1% 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 Costa Rica?
- The highest recorded value was 8.8% in 1980.
- What is the lowest underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (crude estimate) recorded in Costa Rica?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.1% in 2024.
- How does Costa Rica rank for underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (crude estimate)?
- Costa Rica ranks 135th out of 198 countries with data for 2024.
- Is underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (crude estimate) rising or falling in Costa Rica?
- Over the last ten years it is down 10.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Costa Rica 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 45 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (WHO).