Severe wasting in children — all countries

Severe wasting in children — World

Severe wasting in children in the world in 2024 — 1.89%. Since 2000, the indicator has fallen by 0.8 pp.

2024 1.89% −0.01 pp vs 2023
World rank
Period maximum 2.69%2000
Period minimum 1.89%2024

Trend over time

2000–2024 · % of children under 5

Severe wasting in children — World, 2000–20241.822.22.42.62.82000200320062009201220152018202120242000: 2.69%2001: 2.66%2002: 2.62%2003: 2.59%2004: 2.55%2005: 2.51%2006: 2.47%2007: 2.42%2008: 2.37%2009: 2.32%2010: 2.27%2011: 2.23%2012: 2.19%2013: 2.15%2014: 2.11%2015: 2.07%2016: 2.03%2017: 2%2018: 1.97%2019: 1.95%2020: 1.93%2021: 1.92%2022: 1.91%2023: 1.9%2024: 1.89%
Change over the period: −0.8 pp Annual average: -0.03 pp

Comparison, 2024

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

World 1.89%
World 1.89%
Severe wasting in children — World, by year World All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2024 1.89 −0.01 pp
2023 1.9 −0.01 pp
2022 1.91 −0.01 pp
2021 1.92 −0.01 pp
2020 1.93 −0.02 pp
2019 1.95 −0.02 pp
2018 1.97 −0.03 pp
2017 2 −0.03 pp
2016 2.03 −0.04 pp
2015 2.07 −0.04 pp
2014 2.11 −0.04 pp
2013 2.15 −0.04 pp
2012 2.19 −0.04 pp
2011 2.23 −0.04 pp
2010 2.27 −0.05 pp
2009 2.32 −0.05 pp
2008 2.37 −0.05 pp
2007 2.42 −0.05 pp
2006 2.47 −0.04 pp
2005 2.51 −0.04 pp
2004 2.55 −0.04 pp
2003 2.59 −0.03 pp
2002 2.62 −0.04 pp
2001 2.66 −0.03 pp
2000 2.69

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.