Weight-for-height <-2 SD in South America (UNSDG)

South America (UNSDG): Weight-for-height <-2 SD was 1.3 in 2024. ▼ Falling

Latest (2024)
1.3
Change on year
unchanged
Rank
41st
of 56 groups
All-time high
1.8
in 2000
All-time low
1.3
in 2022
Years of data
25
2000–2024

Weight-for-height <-2 SD in South America (UNSDG), 2000–2024

00.511.522000201220242000: 1.82001: 1.82002: 1.82003: 1.82004: 1.72005: 1.72006: 1.72007: 1.72008: 1.62009: 1.62010: 1.62011: 1.62012: 1.52013: 1.52014: 1.52015: 1.52016: 1.52017: 1.42018: 1.42019: 1.42020: 1.42021: 1.42022: 1.32023: 1.32024: 1.3

Source: UNICEF.

Analysis

The most recent figure for weight-for-height <-2 sd in South America (UNSDG) is 1.3, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 13.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, weight-for-height <-2 sd in South America (UNSDG) peaked at 1.8 in 2000 and was at its lowest, 1.3, in 2022.

That places South America (UNSDG) 41st out of 56 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 1.72 1.6 1.8 10
2010s 1.49 1.4 1.6 10
2020s 1.34 1.3 1.4 5

Countries ranked near South America (UNSDG)

  1. 38 Mali 5.4 compare
  2. 39 Central African Republic 5.2 compare
  3. 40 Zimbabwe 5.1 compare
  4. 40 Bhutan 5.1 compare
  5. 42 Gambia 5.07 compare
  6. 43 Comoros 5.06 compare
  7. 44 Haiti 4.98 compare

See the full ranking of 154 places →

More health data for South America (UNSDG)

All data for South America (UNSDG) →

Frequently asked questions

What is weight-for-height <-2 sd in South America (UNSDG)?
Weight-for-height <-2 sd in South America (UNSDG) was 1.3 in 2024, according to UNICEF.
What is the highest weight-for-height <-2 sd recorded in South America (UNSDG)?
The highest recorded value was 1.8 in 2000.
What is the lowest weight-for-height <-2 sd recorded in South America (UNSDG)?
The lowest recorded value was 1.3 in 2022.
How does South America (UNSDG) rank for weight-for-height <-2 sd?
South America (UNSDG) ranks 41st out of 56 groups with data for 2024.
Is weight-for-height <-2 sd rising or falling in South America (UNSDG)?
Over the last ten years it is down 13.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this South America (UNSDG) data come from?
The figures come from UNICEF, published as part of Weight-for-height <-2 SD (wasting). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Weight-for-height <-2 SD in South America (UNSDG). Statizoid, drawing on UNICEF. Retrieved 22 August 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/weight-for-height-2-sd-wasting/south-america-unsdg/

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<a href="https://health.statizoid.com/stat/weight-for-height-2-sd-wasting/south-america-unsdg/">Weight-for-height <-2 SD in South America (UNSDG)</a> — Statizoid

About this data

Indicator
Weight-for-height <-2 SD (wasting)
Source
UNICEF
Licence
UNICEF Terms of Use (attribution required)
Coverage
154 places, 2,355 data points, 1985–2024
Last refreshed