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

Puerto Rico: Underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 kg/m2 (crude estimate) was 2.5% in 2024. ▼ Falling

Latest (2024)
2.5%
Change on year
up 0.8%
World rank
121st
of 198 countries
All-time high
7.4%
in 1980
All-time low
2.4%
in 2020
Years of data
45
1980–2024

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

2345671980200220241980: 7.41981: 7.11982: 6.81983: 6.61984: 6.31985: 6.11986: 5.81987: 5.61988: 5.31989: 5.11990: 4.91991: 4.71992: 4.51993: 4.41994: 4.21995: 41996: 3.91997: 3.71998: 3.61999: 3.42000: 3.32001: 3.22002: 3.12003: 32004: 2.92005: 2.92006: 2.82007: 2.82008: 2.82009: 2.82010: 2.72011: 2.72012: 2.72013: 2.62014: 2.62015: 2.52016: 2.52017: 2.52018: 2.42019: 2.42020: 2.42021: 2.42022: 2.42023: 2.52024: 2.5

Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.

Analysis

Puerto Rico recorded 2.5% for underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (crude estimate) in 2024.

That represents a change of up 0.8% on the previous year and down 3.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (crude estimate) in Puerto Rico peaked at 7.4% in 1980 and was at its lowest, 2.4%, in 2020.

Puerto Rico ranks 121st 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 Puerto Rico, year by year

Annual values for Underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 kg/m2 (crude estimate) (%) in Puerto Rico, 1980 to 2024.
Year Value Change
1980 7.4%
1981 7.1% -3.5%
1982 6.8% -3.6%
1983 6.6% -3.8%
1984 6.3% -3.9%
1985 6.1% -4.0%
1986 5.8% -4.1%
1987 5.6% -4.1%
1988 5.3% -4.1%
1989 5.1% -4.1%
1990 4.9% -4.0%
1991 4.7% -4.0%
1992 4.5% -4.0%
1993 4.4% -4.0%
1994 4.2% -4.0%
1995 4.0% -4.0%
1996 3.9% -4.0%
1997 3.7% -3.9%
1998 3.6% -3.8%
1999 3.4% -3.6%
2000 3.3% -3.5%
2001 3.2% -3.4%
2002 3.1% -3.1%
2003 3.0% -2.8%
2004 2.9% -2.5%
2005 2.9% -2.1%
2006 2.8% -1.7%
2007 2.8% -1.2%
2008 2.8% -0.7%
2009 2.8% -0.4%
2010 2.7% -0.8%
2011 2.7% -1.5%
2012 2.7% -1.7%
2013 2.6% -1.6%
2014 2.6% -1.5%
2015 2.5% -1.4%
2016 2.5% -1.3%
2017 2.5% -1.5%
2018 2.4% -1.1%
2019 2.4% -0.5%
2020 2.4% -0.1%
2021 2.4% +0.2%
2022 2.4% +0.6%
2023 2.5% +1.0%
2024 2.5% +0.8%

Puerto Rico compared with similar countries

  • Puerto Rico's 2.5% is above the median for high income countries, which is 1.9%, 1.3× the median. (66 countries reporting)
  • Puerto Rico's 2.5% is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 2.7%, 94% of the median. (33 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 6.2% 5.1% 7.4% 10
1990s 4.1% 3.4% 4.9% 10
2000s 3.0% 2.8% 3.3% 10
2010s 2.6% 2.4% 2.7% 10
2020s 2.5% 2.4% 2.5% 5

Countries ranked near Puerto Rico

  1. 118 Greenland 2.6% compare
  2. 119 Bulgaria 2.6% compare
  3. 120 Kyrgyzstan 2.6% compare
  4. 122 Brazil 2.5% compare
  5. 123 Panama 2.4% compare
  6. 124 Andorra 2.4% compare

See the full ranking of 211 places →

More health data for Puerto Rico

All data for Puerto Rico →

Frequently asked questions

What is underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (crude estimate) in Puerto Rico?
Underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (crude estimate) in Puerto Rico was 2.5% 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 Puerto Rico?
The highest recorded value was 7.4% in 1980.
What is the lowest underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (crude estimate) recorded in Puerto Rico?
The lowest recorded value was 2.4% in 2020.
How does Puerto Rico rank for underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (crude estimate)?
Puerto Rico ranks 121st out of 198 countries with data for 2024.
Is underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (crude estimate) rising or falling in Puerto Rico?
Over the last ten years it is down 3.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Puerto Rico 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 Puerto Rico. Statizoid, drawing on World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory. Retrieved 13 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/underweight-among-adults-bmi-18-5-kg-m2-crude-estimate-percent/puerto-rico-us/

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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