Underweight in adults — all countries

Underweight in adults — East Asia & Pacific

Underweight in adults in East Asia & Pacific in 2024 — 6.6%. Since 1980, the indicator has fallen by 9.9 pp.

2024 6.6% −0.1 pp vs 2023
World rank
Period maximum 16.4%1980
Period minimum 6.6%2024

Trend over time

1980–2024 · % of adults

Underweight in adults — East Asia & Pacific, 1980–202457.51012.51517.519801985199019952000200520102015202020241980: 16.4%1981: 16.1%1982: 15.8%1983: 15.6%1984: 15.3%1985: 15%1986: 14.7%1987: 14.4%1988: 14%1989: 13.7%1990: 13.4%1991: 13.1%1992: 12.8%1993: 12.6%1994: 12.3%1995: 12.1%1996: 11.8%1997: 11.6%1998: 11.4%1999: 11.2%2000: 11%2001: 10.8%2002: 10.7%2003: 10.5%2004: 10.3%2005: 10.1%2006: 9.9%2007: 9.7%2008: 9.5%2009: 9.3%2010: 9.1%2011: 8.9%2012: 8.7%2013: 8.5%2014: 8.3%2015: 8%2016: 7.8%2017: 7.6%2018: 7.5%2019: 7.3%2020: 7.1%2021: 7%2022: 6.8%2023: 6.7%2024: 6.6%
Change over the period: −9.9 pp Annual average: -0.22 pp

Comparison, 2024

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: East Asia & Pacific

East Asia & Pacific 6.6%
World computed 7.5%
Underweight in adults — East Asia & Pacific, by year East Asia & Pacific All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2024 6.6 −0.1 pp
2023 6.7 −0.1 pp
2022 6.8 −0.1 pp
2021 7 −0.2 pp
2020 7.1 −0.2 pp
2019 7.3 −0.2 pp
2018 7.5 −0.2 pp
2017 7.6 −0.2 pp
2016 7.8 −0.2 pp
2015 8 −0.2 pp
2014 8.3 −0.2 pp
2013 8.5 −0.2 pp
2012 8.7 −0.2 pp
2011 8.9 −0.2 pp
2010 9.1 −0.2 pp
2009 9.3 −0.2 pp
2008 9.5 −0.2 pp
2007 9.7 −0.2 pp
2006 9.9 −0.2 pp
2005 10.1 −0.2 pp
2004 10.3 −0.2 pp
2003 10.5 −0.2 pp
2002 10.7 −0.2 pp
2001 10.8 −0.2 pp
2000 11 −0.2 pp
1999 11.2 −0.2 pp
1998 11.4 −0.2 pp
1997 11.6 −0.2 pp
1996 11.8 −0.2 pp
1995 12.1 −0.2 pp
1994 12.3 −0.3 pp
1993 12.6 −0.3 pp
1992 12.8 −0.3 pp
1991 13.1 −0.3 pp
1990 13.4 −0.3 pp
1989 13.7 −0.3 pp
1988 14 −0.3 pp
1987 14.4 −0.3 pp
1986 14.7 −0.3 pp
1985 15 −0.3 pp
1984 15.3 −0.3 pp
1983 15.6 −0.3 pp
1982 15.8 −0.3 pp
1981 16.1 −0.3 pp
1980 16.4

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.