Underweight prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%) in AFR
AFR: Underweight prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%) was 14.8% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Underweight prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%) in AFR, 1990–2024
Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
Analysis
In 2024, underweight prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%) in AFR stood at 14.8%. That is the lowest value across all 35 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.0% on the previous year and down 18.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, underweight prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%) in AFR peaked at 28.5% in 1990 and was at its lowest, 14.8%, in 2024.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Underweight prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%) in AFR, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 28.5% | — |
| 1991 | 28.0% | -1.8% |
| 1992 | 27.5% | -1.8% |
| 1993 | 27.1% | -1.5% |
| 1994 | 26.6% | -1.8% |
| 1995 | 26.1% | -1.9% |
| 1996 | 25.6% | -1.9% |
| 1997 | 25.2% | -1.6% |
| 1998 | 24.7% | -2.0% |
| 1999 | 24.3% | -1.6% |
| 2000 | 23.8% | -2.1% |
| 2001 | 23.4% | -1.7% |
| 2002 | 22.9% | -2.1% |
| 2003 | 22.5% | -1.7% |
| 2004 | 22.1% | -1.8% |
| 2005 | 21.7% | -1.8% |
| 2006 | 21.3% | -1.8% |
| 2007 | 20.8% | -2.3% |
| 2008 | 20.4% | -1.9% |
| 2009 | 20.0% | -2.0% |
| 2010 | 19.7% | -1.5% |
| 2011 | 19.3% | -2.0% |
| 2012 | 18.9% | -2.1% |
| 2013 | 18.5% | -2.1% |
| 2014 | 18.2% | -1.6% |
| 2015 | 17.8% | -2.2% |
| 2016 | 17.4% | -2.2% |
| 2017 | 17.1% | -1.7% |
| 2018 | 16.7% | -2.3% |
| 2019 | 16.4% | -1.8% |
| 2020 | 16.1% | -1.8% |
| 2021 | 15.8% | -1.9% |
| 2022 | 15.4% | -2.5% |
| 2023 | 15.1% | -1.9% |
| 2024 | 14.8% | -2.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 26.4% | 24.3% | 28.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 21.9% | 20.0% | 23.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 18.0% | 16.4% | 19.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 15.4% | 14.8% | 16.1% | 5 |
More health data for AFR
- Mortality rate among children ages 5 to 9 years 8.27 (2024)
- Population with primary reliance on polluting fuels and technologies 632.45 (2023)
- Proportion of population with primary reliance on fuels and 83.2% (2023)
- Population with primary reliance on fuels and technologies for 572.82 (2023)
- Prevalence of diabetes, crude 8.58 (2022)
- Measles-containing-vaccine first-dose (MCV1) immunization coverage 71.0% (2025)
- Diphtheria tetanus toxoid and pertussis first-dose (DTP1) 83.0% (2025)
- New HIV infections 0.49 (2025)
- BCG immunization coverage among 1-year-olds (%) 82.0% (2025)
- Mean HDL cholesterol, crude 1.1 (2018)
Frequently asked questions
- What is underweight prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%) in AFR?
- Underweight prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%) in AFR was 14.8% in 2024, according to World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
- What is the highest underweight prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%) recorded in AFR?
- The highest recorded value was 28.5% in 1990.
- What is the lowest underweight prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%) recorded in AFR?
- The lowest recorded value was 14.8% in 2024.
- How does AFR rank for underweight prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%)?
- AFR ranks 4th out of 13 groups with data for 2024.
- Is underweight prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%) rising or falling in AFR?
- Over the last ten years it is down 18.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this AFR data come from?
- The figures come from World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory, published as part of Underweight prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%), model-based estimates. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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