Weight-for-height <-3 SD in Africa (WHO regions)

Africa (WHO regions): Weight-for-height <-3 SD was 1.3 in 2024. ▼ Falling

Latest (2024)
1.3
Change on year
unchanged
Rank
19th
of 56 groups
All-time high
3
in 2000
All-time low
1.3
in 2022
Years of data
25
2000–2024

Weight-for-height <-3 SD in Africa (WHO regions), 2000–2024

01232000201220242000: 32001: 2.92002: 2.82003: 2.72004: 2.62005: 2.52006: 2.42007: 2.32008: 2.32009: 2.22010: 2.12011: 22012: 1.92013: 1.92014: 1.82015: 1.72016: 1.72017: 1.62018: 1.62019: 1.52020: 1.52021: 1.42022: 1.32023: 1.32024: 1.3

Source: UNICEF.

Analysis

Africa (WHO regions) recorded 1.3 for weight-for-height <-3 sd in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 27.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, weight-for-height <-3 sd in Africa (WHO regions) peaked at 3 in 2000 and was at its lowest, 1.3, in 2022.

Africa (WHO regions) ranks 19th of 56 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.

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

Weight-for-height <-3 SD in Africa (WHO regions), year by year

Annual values for Weight-for-height <-3 SD (severe wasting) in Africa (WHO regions), 2000 to 2024.
Year Value Change
2000 3
2001 2.9 -3.3%
2002 2.8 -3.4%
2003 2.7 -3.6%
2004 2.6 -3.7%
2005 2.5 -3.8%
2006 2.4 -4.0%
2007 2.3 -4.2%
2008 2.3 +0.0%
2009 2.2 -4.3%
2010 2.1 -4.5%
2011 2 -4.8%
2012 1.9 -5.0%
2013 1.9 +0.0%
2014 1.8 -5.3%
2015 1.7 -5.6%
2016 1.7 +0.0%
2017 1.6 -5.9%
2018 1.6 +0.0%
2019 1.5 -6.3%
2020 1.5 +0.0%
2021 1.4 -6.7%
2022 1.3 -7.1%
2023 1.3 +0.0%
2024 1.3 +0.0%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 2.57 2.2 3 10
2010s 1.78 1.5 2.1 10
2020s 1.36 1.3 1.5 5

Countries ranked near Africa (WHO regions)

  1. 16 Indonesia 2.08 compare
  2. 17 Maldives 2.01 compare
  3. 18 Democratic Republic of Congo 1.9 compare
  4. 19 Guyana 1.85 compare
  5. 20 Armenia 1.75 compare
  6. 21 Bangladesh 1.74 compare
  7. 22 Tajikistan 1.6 compare
  8. 22 Zimbabwe 1.6 compare
  9. 22 Central African Republic 1.6 compare

See the full ranking of 140 places →

More health data for Africa (WHO regions)

All data for Africa (WHO regions) →

Frequently asked questions

What is weight-for-height <-3 sd in Africa (WHO regions)?
Weight-for-height <-3 sd in Africa (WHO regions) was 1.3 in 2024, according to UNICEF.
What is the highest weight-for-height <-3 sd recorded in Africa (WHO regions)?
The highest recorded value was 3 in 2000.
What is the lowest weight-for-height <-3 sd recorded in Africa (WHO regions)?
The lowest recorded value was 1.3 in 2022.
How does Africa (WHO regions) rank for weight-for-height <-3 sd?
Africa (WHO regions) ranks 19th out of 56 groups with data for 2024.
Is weight-for-height <-3 sd rising or falling in Africa (WHO regions)?
Over the last ten years it is down 27.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Africa (WHO regions) data come from?
The figures come from UNICEF, published as part of Weight-for-height <-3 SD (severe wasting). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Weight-for-height <-3 SD in Africa (WHO regions). Statizoid, drawing on UNICEF. Retrieved 28 August 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/weight-for-height-3-sd-severe-wasting/africa-who-regions/

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About this data

Indicator
Weight-for-height <-3 SD (severe wasting)
Source
UNICEF
Licence
UNICEF Terms of Use (attribution required)
Coverage
140 places, 2,174 data points, 1986–2024
Last refreshed