Underweight prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%) in World
World: Underweight prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%) was 12.2% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
12.2%
Change on year
down 1.6%
Rank
7th
of 13 groups
All-time high
24.8%
in 1990
All-time low
12.2%
in 2024
Years of data
35
1990–2024
Underweight prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%) in World, 1990–2024
Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
Analysis
World recorded 12.2% for underweight prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%) in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 35 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.6% on the previous year and down 17.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, underweight prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%) in World peaked at 24.8% in 1990 and was at its lowest, 12.2%, 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 World, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 24.8% | — |
| 1991 | 24.3% | -2.0% |
| 1992 | 23.8% | -2.1% |
| 1993 | 23.4% | -1.7% |
| 1994 | 23.1% | -1.3% |
| 1995 | 22.8% | -1.3% |
| 1996 | 22.5% | -1.3% |
| 1997 | 22.1% | -1.8% |
| 1998 | 21.7% | -1.8% |
| 1999 | 21.3% | -1.8% |
| 2000 | 20.9% | -1.9% |
| 2001 | 20.5% | -1.9% |
| 2002 | 20.1% | -2.0% |
| 2003 | 19.7% | -2.0% |
| 2004 | 19.3% | -2.0% |
| 2005 | 18.9% | -2.1% |
| 2006 | 18.4% | -2.6% |
| 2007 | 17.9% | -2.7% |
| 2008 | 17.4% | -2.8% |
| 2009 | 16.9% | -2.9% |
| 2010 | 16.4% | -3.0% |
| 2011 | 16.0% | -2.4% |
| 2012 | 15.6% | -2.5% |
| 2013 | 15.2% | -2.6% |
| 2014 | 14.7% | -3.3% |
| 2015 | 14.4% | -2.0% |
| 2016 | 14.0% | -2.8% |
| 2017 | 13.6% | -2.9% |
| 2018 | 13.3% | -2.2% |
| 2019 | 13.1% | -1.5% |
| 2020 | 12.8% | -2.3% |
| 2021 | 12.7% | -0.8% |
| 2022 | 12.5% | -1.6% |
| 2023 | 12.4% | -0.8% |
| 2024 | 12.2% | -1.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 23.0% | 21.3% | 24.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 19.0% | 16.9% | 20.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 14.6% | 13.1% | 16.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 12.5% | 12.2% | 12.8% | 5 |
More health data for World
- Population ages 30-34, female, annual growth rate -0.8618 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 30-34, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 30-34, female, per capita 0.0354 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 30-34, male, annual growth rate -0.7558 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 30-34, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 30-34, male, per capita 0.0374 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 35-39, female, annual growth rate 1.44 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 35-39, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 35-39, female, per capita 0.0356 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 35-39, male, annual growth rate 1.67 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is underweight prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%) in World?
- Underweight prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%) in World was 12.2% 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 World?
- The highest recorded value was 24.8% in 1990.
- What is the lowest underweight prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%) recorded in World?
- The lowest recorded value was 12.2% in 2024.
- How does World rank for underweight prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%)?
- World ranks 7th out of 13 groups with data for 2024.
- Is underweight prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%) rising or falling in World?
- Over the last ten years it is down 17.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this World 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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