Contact Contacts
Underweight in adults — all countries

Underweight in adults — Eritrea

Underweight in adults in Eritrea in 2024 — 37.1%. Ranked 199 in the world out of 199. Since 1980, the indicator has risen by 4.8 pp.

2024 37.1% +0.2 pp vs 2023
World rank 199of 199
Period maximum 37.1%2024
Period minimum 32.3%1980

Trend over time

1980–2024 · % of adults

Underweight in adults — Eritrea, 1980–20243234363819801985199019952000200520102015202020241980: 32.3%1981: 32.4%1982: 32.5%1983: 32.6%1984: 32.6%1985: 32.7%1986: 32.8%1987: 32.9%1988: 33%1989: 33.1%1990: 33.2%1991: 33.3%1992: 33.4%1993: 33.5%1994: 33.6%1995: 33.7%1996: 33.8%1997: 34%1998: 34.1%1999: 34.2%2000: 34.4%2001: 34.5%2002: 34.6%2003: 34.8%2004: 34.9%2005: 35%2006: 35.2%2007: 35.3%2008: 35.4%2009: 35.5%2010: 35.6%2011: 35.6%2012: 35.7%2013: 35.7%2014: 35.7%2015: 35.8%2016: 35.9%2017: 36%2018: 36.1%2019: 36.3%2020: 36.4%2021: 36.6%2022: 36.8%2023: 37%2024: 37.1%
Change over the period: +4.8 pp Annual average: 0.11 pp

Comparison, 2024

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

Eritrea 37.1%
World computed 7.5%
Sub-Saharan Africa computed 12.1%
Eastern Africa computed 15.1%
Low-income countries computed 13.8%
Underweight in adults — Eritrea, by year Eritrea All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2024 37.1 +0.2 pp
2023 37 +0.2 pp
2022 36.8 +0.2 pp
2021 36.6 +0.2 pp
2020 36.4 +0.2 pp
2019 36.3 +0.1 pp
2018 36.1 +0.1 pp
2017 36 +0.1 pp
2016 35.9 +0.1 pp
2015 35.8 +0.1 pp
2014 35.7 +0 pp
2013 35.7 +0 pp
2012 35.7 +0 pp
2011 35.6 +0.1 pp
2010 35.6 +0.1 pp
2009 35.5 +0.1 pp
2008 35.4 +0.1 pp
2007 35.3 +0.1 pp
2006 35.2 +0.1 pp
2005 35 +0.1 pp
2004 34.9 +0.1 pp
2003 34.8 +0.1 pp
2002 34.6 +0.1 pp
2001 34.5 +0.1 pp
2000 34.4 +0.1 pp
1999 34.2 +0.1 pp
1998 34.1 +0.1 pp
1997 34 +0.1 pp
1996 33.8 +0.1 pp
1995 33.7 +0.1 pp
1994 33.6 +0.1 pp
1993 33.5 +0.1 pp
1992 33.4 +0.1 pp
1991 33.3 +0.1 pp
1990 33.2 +0.1 pp
1989 33.1 +0.1 pp
1988 33 +0.1 pp
1987 32.9 +0.1 pp
1986 32.8 +0.1 pp
1985 32.7 +0.1 pp
1984 32.6 +0.1 pp
1983 32.6 +0.1 pp
1982 32.5 +0.1 pp
1981 32.4 +0.1 pp
1980 32.3 —

Eastern Africa, 2024

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

SC Seychelles 4.5 KM Comoros 6.6 ZW Zimbabwe 6.9 MU Mauritius 7.2 MW Malawi 8 ZM Zambia 8.2 RW Rwanda 10.2 MZ Mozambique 10.5 TZ Tanzania 11.8 UG Uganda 12.6 KE Kenya 12.8 DJ Djibouti 13.1 SS South Sudan 17.4 SO Somalia 17.5 BI Burundi 17.9 MG Madagascar 18.4 ET Ethiopia 21.8 ER Eritrea 37.1
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 Eritrea

Nutrition Obesity in adults

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

Eritrea by year Nutrition Stunting in children

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

Eritrea by year Nutrition Access to clean water

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

Eritrea by year Nutrition Access to basic sanitation

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

Eritrea by year
All indicators for Eritrea