Severe wasting in children — all countries

Severe wasting in children — North America

Severe wasting in children in North America in 2024 — 0.01%. Since 2000, the indicator has fallen by 0.06 pp.

2024 0.01% +0 pp vs 2023
World rank
Period maximum 0.07%2000
Period minimum 0.01%2022

Trend over time

2000–2024 · % of children under 5

Severe wasting in children — North America, 2000–202400.020.040.060.082000200320062009201220152018202120242000: 0.07%2001: 0.07%2002: 0.07%2003: 0.07%2004: 0.06%2005: 0.06%2006: 0.06%2007: 0.06%2008: 0.05%2009: 0.05%2010: 0.05%2011: 0.04%2012: 0.04%2013: 0.04%2014: 0.04%2015: 0.03%2016: 0.03%2017: 0.03%2018: 0.03%2019: 0.02%2020: 0.02%2021: 0.02%2022: 0.01%2023: 0.01%2024: 0.01%
Change over the period: −0.06 pp Annual average: 0 pp

Comparison, 2024

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: North America

North America 0.01%
World 1.89%
Severe wasting in children — North America, by year North America All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2024 0.01 +0 pp
2023 0.01 +0 pp
2022 0.01 −0.01 pp
2021 0.02 +0 pp
2020 0.02 +0 pp
2019 0.02 −0.01 pp
2018 0.03 +0 pp
2017 0.03 +0 pp
2016 0.03 +0 pp
2015 0.03 −0.01 pp
2014 0.04 +0 pp
2013 0.04 +0 pp
2012 0.04 +0 pp
2011 0.04 −0.01 pp
2010 0.05 +0 pp
2009 0.05 +0 pp
2008 0.05 −0.01 pp
2007 0.06 +0 pp
2006 0.06 +0 pp
2005 0.06 +0 pp
2004 0.06 −0.01 pp
2003 0.07 +0 pp
2002 0.07 +0 pp
2001 0.07 +0 pp
2000 0.07

About the indicator

The share of children under five whose weight falls short of the WHO norm for their height by more than three standard deviations. This is a subset of wasting, its extreme degree: without treatment mortality in this group runs into the tens of percent, which is why such cases are counted as a medical emergency and are treated with special therapeutic food. The indicator is the most sensitive of the child ones: it responds to a crisis earlier than the rest.

Important: Part of the wasting indicator rather than an addition to it: the two series cannot be added. The aggregate by group is weighted by the number of children aged 0–14.

Source: Global Health Observatory (WHO), license CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO.