Weight-for-height <-2 SD in Southern Africa (UNSDG)

Southern Africa (UNSDG): Weight-for-height <-2 SD was 3 in 2024. ▼ Falling

Latest (2024)
3
Change on year
down 3.2%
Rank
34th
of 56 groups
All-time high
4.7
in 2000
All-time low
3
in 2024
Years of data
25
2000–2024

Weight-for-height <-2 SD in Southern Africa (UNSDG), 2000–2024

0123452000201220242000: 4.72001: 4.62002: 4.52003: 4.42004: 4.42005: 4.32006: 4.22007: 4.12008: 42009: 42010: 3.92011: 3.82012: 3.82013: 3.72014: 3.62015: 3.62016: 3.52017: 3.42018: 3.42019: 3.32020: 3.22021: 3.22022: 3.12023: 3.12024: 3

Source: UNICEF.

Analysis

In 2024, weight-for-height <-2 sd in Southern Africa (UNSDG) stood at 3. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 3.2% on the previous year and down 16.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, weight-for-height <-2 sd in Southern Africa (UNSDG) peaked at 4.7 in 2000 and was at its lowest, 3, in 2024.

That places Southern Africa (UNSDG) 34th 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.

Weight-for-height <-2 SD in Southern Africa (UNSDG), year by year

Annual values for Weight-for-height <-2 SD (wasting) in Southern Africa (UNSDG), 2000 to 2024.
Year Value Change
2000 4.7
2001 4.6 -2.1%
2002 4.5 -2.2%
2003 4.4 -2.2%
2004 4.4 +0.0%
2005 4.3 -2.3%
2006 4.2 -2.3%
2007 4.1 -2.4%
2008 4 -2.4%
2009 4 +0.0%
2010 3.9 -2.5%
2011 3.8 -2.6%
2012 3.8 +0.0%
2013 3.7 -2.6%
2014 3.6 -2.7%
2015 3.6 +0.0%
2016 3.5 -2.8%
2017 3.4 -2.9%
2018 3.4 +0.0%
2019 3.3 -2.9%
2020 3.2 -3.0%
2021 3.2 +0.0%
2022 3.1 -3.1%
2023 3.1 +0.0%
2024 3 -3.2%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 4.32 4 4.7 10
2010s 3.6 3.3 3.9 10
2020s 3.12 3 3.2 5

Countries ranked near Southern Africa (UNSDG)

  1. 31 Guyana 6.45 compare
  2. 32 Guinea 6.41 compare
  3. 33 Tajikistan 6.4 compare
  4. 34 Sierra Leone 6.31 compare
  5. 35 Ghana 5.8 compare
  6. 36 Togo 5.72 compare
  7. 37 Philippines 5.4 compare

See the full ranking of 154 places →

More health data for Southern Africa (UNSDG)

All data for Southern Africa (UNSDG) →

Frequently asked questions

What is weight-for-height <-2 sd in Southern Africa (UNSDG)?
Weight-for-height <-2 sd in Southern Africa (UNSDG) was 3 in 2024, according to UNICEF.
What is the highest weight-for-height <-2 sd recorded in Southern Africa (UNSDG)?
The highest recorded value was 4.7 in 2000.
What is the lowest weight-for-height <-2 sd recorded in Southern Africa (UNSDG)?
The lowest recorded value was 3 in 2024.
How does Southern Africa (UNSDG) rank for weight-for-height <-2 sd?
Southern Africa (UNSDG) ranks 34th out of 56 groups with data for 2024.
Is weight-for-height <-2 sd rising or falling in Southern Africa (UNSDG)?
Over the last ten years it is down 16.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Southern Africa (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 Southern Africa (UNSDG). Statizoid, drawing on UNICEF. Retrieved 23 August 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/weight-for-height-2-sd-wasting/southern-africa-unsdg/

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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