Underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 kg/m2 (crude estimate) in Kenya
Kenya: Underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 kg/m2 (crude estimate) was 12.3% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
12.3%
Change on year
up 0.5%
World rank
21st
of 198 countries
All-time high
17.2%
in 1980
All-time low
12.0%
in 2017
Years of data
45
1980–2024
Underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 kg/m2 (crude estimate) in Kenya, 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 Kenya is 12.3%, measured in 2024.
The figure is up 0.5% on the previous year and up 1.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (crude estimate) in Kenya peaked at 17.2% in 1980 and was at its lowest, 12.0%, in 2017.
That places Kenya 21st 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 Kenya, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 17.2% | — |
| 1981 | 17.0% | -0.8% |
| 1982 | 16.9% | -0.9% |
| 1983 | 16.7% | -0.9% |
| 1984 | 16.6% | -0.9% |
| 1985 | 16.4% | -0.9% |
| 1986 | 16.3% | -0.9% |
| 1987 | 16.1% | -0.9% |
| 1988 | 16.0% | -0.9% |
| 1989 | 15.8% | -0.9% |
| 1990 | 15.7% | -0.9% |
| 1991 | 15.5% | -1.0% |
| 1992 | 15.4% | -0.9% |
| 1993 | 15.3% | -0.9% |
| 1994 | 15.1% | -0.9% |
| 1995 | 15.0% | -0.9% |
| 1996 | 14.8% | -0.9% |
| 1997 | 14.7% | -0.9% |
| 1998 | 14.6% | -1.0% |
| 1999 | 14.4% | -1.0% |
| 2000 | 14.3% | -1.0% |
| 2001 | 14.1% | -1.1% |
| 2002 | 14.0% | -1.1% |
| 2003 | 13.8% | -1.2% |
| 2004 | 13.6% | -1.2% |
| 2005 | 13.5% | -1.2% |
| 2006 | 13.3% | -1.2% |
| 2007 | 13.1% | -1.3% |
| 2008 | 13.0% | -1.3% |
| 2009 | 12.8% | -1.3% |
| 2010 | 12.6% | -1.3% |
| 2011 | 12.5% | -1.2% |
| 2012 | 12.3% | -1.1% |
| 2013 | 12.2% | -1.0% |
| 2014 | 12.1% | -0.8% |
| 2015 | 12.0% | -0.6% |
| 2016 | 12.0% | -0.4% |
| 2017 | 12.0% | -0.2% |
| 2018 | 12.0% | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 12.0% | +0.3% |
| 2020 | 12.0% | +0.3% |
| 2021 | 12.1% | +0.4% |
| 2022 | 12.2% | +0.5% |
| 2023 | 12.2% | +0.6% |
| 2024 | 12.3% | +0.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 16.5% | 15.8% | 17.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 15.1% | 14.4% | 15.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 13.5% | 12.8% | 14.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 12.2% | 12.0% | 12.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 12.2% | 12.0% | 12.3% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Kenya
More health data for Kenya
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.44 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.6026 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,119 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 16,059 deaths (2100)
- Population ages 30-34, female, annual growth rate 2.08 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 30-34, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 30-34, female, per capita 0.0368 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 30-34, male, annual growth rate 1.13 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 30-34, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 30-34, male, per capita 0.0353 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (crude estimate) in Kenya?
- Underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (crude estimate) in Kenya was 12.3% 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 Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 17.2% in 1980.
- What is the lowest underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (crude estimate) recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 12.0% in 2017.
- How does Kenya rank for underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (crude estimate)?
- Kenya ranks 21st out of 198 countries with data for 2024.
- Is underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (crude estimate) rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Kenya 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).