Weight-for-age <-2 SD (Underweight) in United States
United States: Weight-for-age <-2 SD (Underweight) was 0.4 in 2018. ▼ Falling
Weight-for-age <-2 SD in United States, 1991–2018
Source: UNICEF.
Analysis
United States recorded 0.4 for weight-for-age <-2 sd in 2018. That is the lowest value across all 11 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 71.4% on the previous year and down 42.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, weight-for-age <-2 sd in United States peaked at 1.4 in 2016 and was at its lowest, 0.4, in 2018.
United States ranks 94th of 95 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 11 years of available data.
Weight-for-age <-2 SD (Underweight) in United States, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 0.8 | — |
| 2000 | 1.1 | +37.5% |
| 2002 | 0.8 | -27.3% |
| 2004 | 1.3 | +62.5% |
| 2006 | 0.7 | -46.2% |
| 2008 | 0.7 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 1 | +42.9% |
| 2012 | 0.5 | -50.0% |
| 2014 | 0.7 | +40.0% |
| 2016 | 1.4 | +100.0% |
| 2018 | 0.4 | -71.4% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 0.4 is below the median for high income countries, which is 2.79, 14% of the median. (11 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 1 |
| 2000s | 0.92 | 0.7 | 1.3 | 5 |
| 2010s | 0.8 | 0.4 | 1.4 | 5 |
Countries ranked near United States
- 91 Turkey 1.49 compare
- 92 United Kingdom 0.6 compare
- 93 Chile 0.5 compare
- 94 South Korea 0.4 compare
More health data for United States
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.67 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.1867 % change on previous year (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 4,015 (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2023)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 0.056 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0261 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 0.1919 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per capita 0.0274 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is weight-for-age <-2 sd in United States?
- Weight-for-age <-2 sd in United States was 0.4 in 2018, according to UNICEF.
- What is the highest weight-for-age <-2 sd recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 1.4 in 2016.
- What is the lowest weight-for-age <-2 sd recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.4 in 2018.
- How does United States rank for weight-for-age <-2 sd?
- United States ranks 94th out of 95 countries with data for 2018.
- Is weight-for-age <-2 sd rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is down 42.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this United States data come from?
- The figures come from UNICEF, published as part of Weight-for-age <-2 SD (Underweight). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 11 observations, free to reuse under UNICEF Terms of Use (attribution required).