Underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 kg/m2 (crude estimate) in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone: Underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 kg/m2 (crude estimate) was 5.8% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 kg/m2 (crude estimate) in Sierra Leone, 1980–2024
Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
Analysis
In 2024, underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (crude estimate) in Sierra Leone stood at 5.8%. That is the lowest value across all 45 years on record.
That represents a change of down 3.4% on the previous year and down 30.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (crude estimate) in Sierra Leone peaked at 19.9% in 1980 and was at its lowest, 5.8%, in 2024.
That places Sierra Leone 66th out of 198 countries with data for 2024, putting it 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 Sierra Leone, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 19.9% | — |
| 1981 | 19.6% | -1.3% |
| 1982 | 19.3% | -1.4% |
| 1983 | 19.1% | -1.4% |
| 1984 | 18.8% | -1.4% |
| 1985 | 18.5% | -1.5% |
| 1986 | 18.3% | -1.5% |
| 1987 | 18.0% | -1.5% |
| 1988 | 17.7% | -1.6% |
| 1989 | 17.4% | -1.6% |
| 1990 | 17.1% | -1.7% |
| 1991 | 16.8% | -1.7% |
| 1992 | 16.5% | -1.8% |
| 1993 | 16.2% | -1.8% |
| 1994 | 15.9% | -1.9% |
| 1995 | 15.6% | -2.0% |
| 1996 | 15.3% | -2.0% |
| 1997 | 15.0% | -2.1% |
| 1998 | 14.6% | -2.3% |
| 1999 | 14.3% | -2.4% |
| 2000 | 13.9% | -2.5% |
| 2001 | 13.6% | -2.6% |
| 2002 | 13.2% | -2.8% |
| 2003 | 12.8% | -2.9% |
| 2004 | 12.4% | -3.1% |
| 2005 | 12.0% | -3.2% |
| 2006 | 11.6% | -3.4% |
| 2007 | 11.2% | -3.5% |
| 2008 | 10.8% | -3.7% |
| 2009 | 10.4% | -3.9% |
| 2010 | 9.9% | -4.0% |
| 2011 | 9.5% | -4.0% |
| 2012 | 9.2% | -4.0% |
| 2013 | 8.8% | -4.0% |
| 2014 | 8.4% | -4.0% |
| 2015 | 8.1% | -3.9% |
| 2016 | 7.8% | -3.9% |
| 2017 | 7.5% | -3.8% |
| 2018 | 7.2% | -3.8% |
| 2019 | 6.9% | -3.7% |
| 2020 | 6.7% | -3.6% |
| 2021 | 6.5% | -3.5% |
| 2022 | 6.2% | -3.4% |
| 2023 | 6.0% | -3.4% |
| 2024 | 5.8% | -3.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 18.7% | 17.4% | 19.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 15.7% | 14.3% | 17.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 12.2% | 10.4% | 13.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 8.3% | 6.9% | 9.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.3% | 5.8% | 6.7% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Sierra Leone
More health data for Sierra Leone
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -2.34 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.773 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,199 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 4,209 deaths (2100)
- Population ages 05-09, female, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 05-09, female, per capita 0.0619 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 05-09, male, annual growth rate 1.28 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 05-09, male, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 05-09, male, per capita 0.0628 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 10-14, female, annual growth rate 0.7846 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (crude estimate) in Sierra Leone?
- Underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (crude estimate) in Sierra Leone was 5.8% 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 Sierra Leone?
- The highest recorded value was 19.9% in 1980.
- What is the lowest underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (crude estimate) recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.8% in 2024.
- How does Sierra Leone rank for underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (crude estimate)?
- Sierra Leone ranks 66th out of 198 countries with data for 2024.
- Is underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (crude estimate) rising or falling in Sierra Leone?
- Over the last ten years it is down 30.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sierra Leone 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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