Severe wasting in children — all countries

Severe wasting in children — South Korea

Severe wasting in children in South Korea in 2020 — 0.1%. Ranked 1 in the world out of 25. Since 2003, the indicator has fallen by 0.1 pp.

2020 0.1% +0 pp vs 2017
World rank 1of 25
Period maximum 0.2%2003
Period minimum 0.1%2008

Trend over time

2003–2020 · % of children under 5

Severe wasting in children — South Korea, 2003–20200.10.130.150.180.220032005200720092011201320152017201920202003: 0.2%2008: 0.1%2011: 0.1%2014: 0.1%2017: 0.1%2020: 0.1%
Change over the period: −0.1 pp Annual average: -0.01 pp

Comparison, 2020

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: South Korea

South Korea 0.1%
World 1.93%
Severe wasting in children — South Korea, by year South Korea All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2020 0.1
2017 0.1
2014 0.1
2011 0.1
2008 0.1
2003 0.2

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.