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Underweight in adults — all countries

Underweight in adults — Afghanistan

Underweight in adults in Afghanistan in 2024 — 5.6%. Ranked 131 in the world out of 199. Since 1980, the indicator has fallen by 29.5 pp.

2024 5.6% −0.3 pp vs 2023
World rank 131of 199
Period maximum 35.1%1980
Period minimum 5.6%2024

Trend over time

1980–2024 · % of adults

Underweight in adults — Afghanistan, 1980–202401020304019801985199019952000200520102015202020241980: 35.1%1981: 34.4%1982: 33.6%1983: 32.8%1984: 32.1%1985: 31.3%1986: 30.5%1987: 29.7%1988: 28.9%1989: 28.1%1990: 27.4%1991: 26.6%1992: 25.8%1993: 25%1994: 24.3%1995: 23.5%1996: 22.7%1997: 22%1998: 21.2%1999: 20.4%2000: 19.6%2001: 18.8%2002: 18%2003: 17.3%2004: 16.5%2005: 15.8%2006: 15%2007: 14.3%2008: 13.6%2009: 13%2010: 12.3%2011: 11.7%2012: 11%2013: 10.4%2014: 9.9%2015: 9.3%2016: 8.8%2017: 8.3%2018: 7.9%2019: 7.4%2020: 7%2021: 6.6%2022: 6.3%2023: 5.9%2024: 5.6%
Change over the period: −29.5 pp Annual average: -0.67 pp

Comparison, 2024

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

Afghanistan 5.6%
World computed 7.5%
South Asia computed 11.5%
Southern Asia computed 11.1%
Low-income countries computed 13.8%
Underweight in adults — Afghanistan, by year Afghanistan All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2024 5.6 −0.3 pp
2023 5.9 −0.4 pp
2022 6.3 −0.4 pp
2021 6.6 −0.4 pp
2020 7 −0.4 pp
2019 7.4 −0.4 pp
2018 7.9 −0.5 pp
2017 8.3 −0.5 pp
2016 8.8 −0.5 pp
2015 9.3 −0.5 pp
2014 9.9 −0.6 pp
2013 10.4 −0.6 pp
2012 11 −0.6 pp
2011 11.7 −0.6 pp
2010 12.3 −0.7 pp
2009 13 −0.7 pp
2008 13.6 −0.7 pp
2007 14.3 −0.7 pp
2006 15 −0.7 pp
2005 15.8 −0.7 pp
2004 16.5 −0.8 pp
2003 17.3 −0.8 pp
2002 18 −0.8 pp
2001 18.8 −0.8 pp
2000 19.6 −0.8 pp
1999 20.4 −0.8 pp
1998 21.2 −0.8 pp
1997 22 −0.8 pp
1996 22.7 −0.8 pp
1995 23.5 −0.8 pp
1994 24.3 −0.8 pp
1993 25 −0.8 pp
1992 25.8 −0.8 pp
1991 26.6 −0.8 pp
1990 27.4 −0.8 pp
1989 28.1 −0.8 pp
1988 28.9 −0.8 pp
1987 29.7 −0.8 pp
1986 30.5 −0.8 pp
1985 31.3 −0.8 pp
1984 32.1 −0.8 pp
1983 32.8 −0.8 pp
1982 33.6 −0.8 pp
1981 34.4 −0.7 pp
1980 35.1 —

Southern Asia, 2024

The same indicator for neighboring countries — with links to their pages

BT Bhutan 2.9 IR Iran 3.7 AF Afghanistan 5.6 MV Maldives 6.8 PK Pakistan 6.9 NP Nepal 9.4 LK Sri Lanka 11.9 IN India 12.4 BD Bangladesh 12.5
Full table for all countries

About the indicator

The share of people aged 18 and over with a body mass index below 18.5 kg/m². The indicator moves in the direction opposite to obesity, and together they describe what is called the double burden of malnutrition: in many middle-income countries both shares are high at once — underweight persists in the countryside, obesity has already come to the city. The largest values are given by South Asia and the Horn of Africa.

Important: The aggregate by group is weighted by the whole population rather than the adult one. Underweight in adults and undernourishment are different indicators: the first measures the body, the second the intake of calories.

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

Other indicators for Afghanistan

Nutrition Obesity in adults

The share of adults with a body mass index of 30 and above. The WHO series runs from 1980.

Afghanistan by year Nutrition Prevalence of undernourishment

The share of the population whose calorie intake is below the minimum requirement.

Afghanistan by year Nutrition Stunting in children

The share of children under five whose height is markedly below the norm for their age.

Afghanistan by year Nutrition Tobacco use prevalence

The share of adults who use tobacco in any form.

Afghanistan by year Nutrition Access to clean water

The share of the population with access to basic sources of drinking water.

Afghanistan by year Nutrition Access to basic sanitation

The share of the population with access to improved sanitation and hygiene conditions.

Afghanistan by year
All indicators for Afghanistan