Underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 kg/m2 (crude estimate) in Upper-middle income (World Bank)

Upper-middle income (World Bank): Underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 kg/m2 (crude estimate) was 4.0% in 2024. ▼ Falling

Latest (2024)
4.0%
Change on year
down 2.5%
Rank
8th
of 11 groups
All-time high
12.4%
in 1980
All-time low
4.0%
in 2024
Years of data
45
1980–2024

Underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 kg/m2 (crude estimate) in Upper-middle income (World Bank), 1980–2024

46810121980200220241980: 12.41981: 12.21982: 11.91983: 11.71984: 11.51985: 11.31986: 111987: 10.81988: 10.51989: 10.31990: 101991: 9.81992: 9.61993: 9.31994: 9.11995: 8.81996: 8.61997: 8.41998: 8.21999: 82000: 7.82001: 7.72002: 7.52003: 7.42004: 7.22005: 7.12006: 6.92007: 6.82008: 6.62009: 6.42010: 6.32011: 6.12012: 5.92013: 5.72014: 5.52015: 5.32016: 5.12017: 4.92018: 4.82019: 4.62020: 4.52021: 4.32022: 4.22023: 4.12024: 4

Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.

Analysis

In 2024, underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (crude estimate) in Upper-middle income (World Bank) stood at 4.0%. That is the lowest value across all 45 years on record.

The figure is down 2.5% on the previous year and down 27.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (crude estimate) in Upper-middle income (World Bank) peaked at 12.4% in 1980 and was at its lowest, 4.0%, in 2024.

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 Upper-middle income (World Bank), year by year

Annual values for Underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 kg/m2 (crude estimate) (%) in Upper-middle income (World Bank), 1980 to 2024.
Year Value Change
1980 12.4%
1981 12.2% -1.7%
1982 11.9% -1.7%
1983 11.7% -1.9%
1984 11.5% -1.9%
1985 11.3% -2.0%
1986 11.0% -2.0%
1987 10.8% -2.1%
1988 10.5% -2.3%
1989 10.3% -2.4%
1990 10.0% -2.4%
1991 9.8% -2.4%
1992 9.6% -2.5%
1993 9.3% -2.6%
1994 9.1% -2.6%
1995 8.8% -2.6%
1996 8.6% -2.5%
1997 8.4% -2.4%
1998 8.2% -2.4%
1999 8.0% -2.3%
2000 7.8% -2.0%
2001 7.7% -2.0%
2002 7.5% -2.1%
2003 7.4% -2.1%
2004 7.2% -2.1%
2005 7.1% -2.0%
2006 6.9% -2.1%
2007 6.8% -2.2%
2008 6.6% -2.3%
2009 6.4% -2.5%
2010 6.3% -2.9%
2011 6.1% -3.0%
2012 5.9% -3.1%
2013 5.7% -3.2%
2014 5.5% -3.3%
2015 5.3% -3.5%
2016 5.1% -3.5%
2017 4.9% -3.4%
2018 4.8% -3.3%
2019 4.6% -3.2%
2020 4.5% -3.2%
2021 4.3% -3.1%
2022 4.2% -2.8%
2023 4.1% -2.6%
2024 4.0% -2.5%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 11.4% 10.3% 12.4% 10
1990s 9.0% 8.0% 10.0% 10
2000s 7.1% 6.4% 7.8% 10
2010s 5.4% 4.6% 6.3% 10
2020s 4.2% 4.0% 4.5% 5

Countries ranked near Upper-middle income (World Bank)

  1. 5 Somalia 19.5% compare
  2. 6 Niger 19.3% compare
  3. 7 Madagascar 17.8% compare
  4. 8 Senegal 17.2% compare
  5. 9 South Sudan 17.2% compare
  6. 10 Sudan 16.7% compare
  7. 11 Burundi 16.6% compare

See the full ranking of 211 places →

More health data for Upper-middle income (World Bank)

All data for Upper-middle income (World Bank) →

Frequently asked questions

What is underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (crude estimate) in Upper-middle income (World Bank)?
Underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (crude estimate) in Upper-middle income (World Bank) was 4.0% 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 Upper-middle income (World Bank)?
The highest recorded value was 12.4% in 1980.
What is the lowest underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (crude estimate) recorded in Upper-middle income (World Bank)?
The lowest recorded value was 4.0% in 2024.
How does Upper-middle income (World Bank) rank for underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (crude estimate)?
Upper-middle income (World Bank) ranks 8th out of 11 groups with data for 2024.
Is underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (crude estimate) rising or falling in Upper-middle income (World Bank)?
Over the last ten years it is down 27.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Upper-middle income (World Bank) 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 Upper-middle income (World Bank). Statizoid, drawing on World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory. Retrieved 15 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/underweight-among-adults-bmi-18-5-kg-m2-crude-estimate-percent/upper-middle-income-world-bank/

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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
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