Weight-for-height <-3 SD (severe wasting) in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Weight-for-height <-3 SD was 0.8 in 2024. ▼ Falling
Weight-for-height <-3 SD in Sri Lanka, 1987–2024
Source: UNICEF.
Analysis
The most recent figure for weight-for-height <-3 sd in Sri Lanka is 0.8, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 13 years on record.
That represents a change of down 33.3% on the previous year and down 73.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, weight-for-height <-3 sd in Sri Lanka peaked at 3.06 in 2007 and was at its lowest, 0.8, in 2024.
Sri Lanka ranks 54th of 84 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 13 years of available data.
Weight-for-height <-3 SD in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1987 | 1.69 | — |
| 1993 | 2.8 | +65.5% |
| 2000 | 2.16 | -22.7% |
| 2007 | 3.06 | +41.4% |
| 2009 | 1.9 | -37.9% |
| 2012 | 3.04 | +59.9% |
| 2016 | 3.06 | +0.6% |
| 2019 | 1.5 | -50.9% |
| 2020 | 1.2 | -20.0% |
| 2021 | 1.1 | -8.3% |
| 2022 | 2.7 | +145.5% |
| 2023 | 1.2 | -55.6% |
| 2024 | 0.8 | -33.3% |
Sri Lanka compared with similar countries
- Sri Lanka's 0.8 is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.7, 1.1× the median. (23 countries reporting)
- Sri Lanka's 0.8 is below the median for South Asia, which is 1.74, 46% of the median. (5 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 1.69 | 1.69 | 1.69 | 1 |
| 1990s | 2.8 | 2.8 | 2.8 | 1 |
| 2000s | 2.37 | 1.9 | 3.06 | 3 |
| 2010s | 2.53 | 1.5 | 3.06 | 3 |
| 2020s | 1.4 | 0.8 | 2.7 | 5 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
- 51 Kuwait 0.8625 compare
- 52 Burkina Faso 0.8617 compare
- 53 Nepal 0.8096 compare
- 55 Philippines 0.753 compare
- 56 Mozambique 0.7284 compare
- 57 Mali 0.7 compare
- 57 China 0.7 compare
- 57 El Salvador 0.7 compare
More health data for Sri Lanka
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.62 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.7332 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,250 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 304 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -2.13 % 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 0.0339 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -2.12 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is weight-for-height <-3 sd in Sri Lanka?
- Weight-for-height <-3 sd in Sri Lanka was 0.8 in 2024, according to UNICEF.
- What is the highest weight-for-height <-3 sd recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 3.06 in 2007.
- What is the lowest weight-for-height <-3 sd recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.8 in 2024.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for weight-for-height <-3 sd?
- Sri Lanka ranks 54th out of 84 countries with data for 2024.
- Is weight-for-height <-3 sd rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is down 73.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sri Lanka 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 13 observations, free to reuse under UNICEF Terms of Use (attribution required).