Underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 kg/m2 (crude estimate) in Uganda
Uganda: Underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 kg/m2 (crude estimate) was 10.7% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
10.7%
Change on year
up 1.0%
World rank
30th
of 198 countries
All-time high
15.7%
in 1980
All-time low
10.3%
in 2017
Years of data
45
1980–2024
Underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 kg/m2 (crude estimate) in Uganda, 1980–2024
Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
Analysis
Uganda recorded 10.7% for underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (crude estimate) in 2024.
That represents a change of up 1.0% on the previous year and up 3.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (crude estimate) in Uganda peaked at 15.7% in 1980 and was at its lowest, 10.3%, in 2017.
That places Uganda 30th 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 Uganda, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 15.7% | — |
| 1981 | 15.5% | -1.2% |
| 1982 | 15.3% | -1.2% |
| 1983 | 15.1% | -1.3% |
| 1984 | 14.9% | -1.3% |
| 1985 | 14.7% | -1.3% |
| 1986 | 14.5% | -1.3% |
| 1987 | 14.3% | -1.3% |
| 1988 | 14.1% | -1.3% |
| 1989 | 14.0% | -1.3% |
| 1990 | 13.8% | -1.2% |
| 1991 | 13.6% | -1.2% |
| 1992 | 13.5% | -1.2% |
| 1993 | 13.3% | -1.2% |
| 1994 | 13.2% | -1.1% |
| 1995 | 13.0% | -1.0% |
| 1996 | 12.9% | -1.0% |
| 1997 | 12.8% | -1.0% |
| 1998 | 12.6% | -1.1% |
| 1999 | 12.5% | -1.1% |
| 2000 | 12.4% | -1.1% |
| 2001 | 12.2% | -1.1% |
| 2002 | 12.1% | -1.1% |
| 2003 | 11.9% | -1.2% |
| 2004 | 11.8% | -1.2% |
| 2005 | 11.7% | -1.2% |
| 2006 | 11.5% | -1.2% |
| 2007 | 11.4% | -1.3% |
| 2008 | 11.2% | -1.3% |
| 2009 | 11.1% | -1.3% |
| 2010 | 10.9% | -1.3% |
| 2011 | 10.8% | -1.3% |
| 2012 | 10.6% | -1.3% |
| 2013 | 10.5% | -1.2% |
| 2014 | 10.4% | -1.0% |
| 2015 | 10.3% | -0.8% |
| 2016 | 10.3% | -0.5% |
| 2017 | 10.3% | -0.3% |
| 2018 | 10.3% | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 10.3% | +0.3% |
| 2020 | 10.3% | +0.6% |
| 2021 | 10.4% | +0.7% |
| 2022 | 10.5% | +0.9% |
| 2023 | 10.6% | +1.0% |
| 2024 | 10.7% | +1.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 14.8% | 14.0% | 15.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | 13.1% | 12.5% | 13.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 11.7% | 11.1% | 12.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 10.5% | 10.3% | 10.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 10.5% | 10.3% | 10.7% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Uganda
- 27 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 11.2% compare
- 28 Burkina Faso 11.1% compare
- 29 Viet Nam 11.0% compare
- 31 Guinea-Bissau 10.3% compare
- 32 Mali 10.1% compare
- 33 Mozambique 10.0% compare
More health data for Uganda
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -2.2 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 1.34 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 853.6 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 6,666 deaths (2100)
- Population ages 15-19, male, annual growth rate 2.16 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 15-19, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 15-19, male, per capita 0.0577 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 20-24, female, annual growth rate 1.81 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 20-24, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 20-24, female, per capita 0.05 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (crude estimate) in Uganda?
- Underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (crude estimate) in Uganda was 10.7% 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 Uganda?
- The highest recorded value was 15.7% in 1980.
- What is the lowest underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (crude estimate) recorded in Uganda?
- The lowest recorded value was 10.3% in 2017.
- How does Uganda rank for underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (crude estimate)?
- Uganda ranks 30th out of 198 countries with data for 2024.
- Is underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (crude estimate) rising or falling in Uganda?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Uganda 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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