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Underweight in adults — all countries

Underweight in adults — Ghana

Underweight in adults in Ghana in 2024 — 7.8%. Ranked 149 in the world out of 199. Since 1980, the indicator has fallen by 13.9 pp.

2024 7.8% −0 pp vs 2023
World rank 149of 199
Period maximum 21.8%1980
Period minimum 7.8%2024

Trend over time

1980–2024 · % of adults

Underweight in adults — Ghana, 1980–202451015202519801985199019952000200520102015202020241980: 21.8%1981: 21.3%1982: 20.9%1983: 20.4%1984: 20%1985: 19.5%1986: 19.1%1987: 18.6%1988: 18.2%1989: 17.7%1990: 17.2%1991: 16.8%1992: 16.3%1993: 15.8%1994: 15.4%1995: 14.9%1996: 14.5%1997: 14%1998: 13.6%1999: 13.2%2000: 12.8%2001: 12.3%2002: 11.9%2003: 11.6%2004: 11.2%2005: 10.8%2006: 10.5%2007: 10.2%2008: 9.8%2009: 9.6%2010: 9.3%2011: 9%2012: 8.8%2013: 8.6%2014: 8.5%2015: 8.3%2016: 8.2%2017: 8.1%2018: 8%2019: 8%2020: 7.9%2021: 7.9%2022: 7.9%2023: 7.9%2024: 7.8%
Change over the period: −13.9 pp Annual average: -0.32 pp

Comparison, 2024

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

Ghana 7.8%
World computed 7.5%
Sub-Saharan Africa computed 12.1%
Western Africa computed 10%
Lower-middle-income countries computed 10.1%
Underweight in adults — Ghana, by year Ghana All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2024 7.8 −0 pp
2023 7.9 −0 pp
2022 7.9 −0 pp
2021 7.9 −0 pp
2020 7.9 −0 pp
2019 8 −0.1 pp
2018 8 −0.1 pp
2017 8.1 −0.1 pp
2016 8.2 −0.1 pp
2015 8.3 −0.1 pp
2014 8.5 −0.2 pp
2013 8.6 −0.2 pp
2012 8.8 −0.2 pp
2011 9 −0.2 pp
2010 9.3 −0.3 pp
2009 9.6 −0.3 pp
2008 9.8 −0.3 pp
2007 10.2 −0.3 pp
2006 10.5 −0.3 pp
2005 10.8 −0.4 pp
2004 11.2 −0.4 pp
2003 11.6 −0.4 pp
2002 11.9 −0.4 pp
2001 12.3 −0.4 pp
2000 12.8 −0.4 pp
1999 13.2 −0.4 pp
1998 13.6 −0.4 pp
1997 14 −0.4 pp
1996 14.5 −0.4 pp
1995 14.9 −0.5 pp
1994 15.4 −0.5 pp
1993 15.8 −0.5 pp
1992 16.3 −0.5 pp
1991 16.8 −0.5 pp
1990 17.2 −0.5 pp
1989 17.7 −0.5 pp
1988 18.2 −0.5 pp
1987 18.6 −0.5 pp
1986 19.1 −0.5 pp
1985 19.5 −0.5 pp
1984 20 −0.5 pp
1983 20.4 −0.4 pp
1982 20.9 −0.4 pp
1981 21.3 −0.4 pp
1980 21.8 —

Western Africa, 2024

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

CV Cabo Verde 5.1 LR Liberia 6.1 SL Sierra Leone 6.3 CI Côte d'Ivoire 7.7 GH Ghana 7.8 MR Mauritania 7.9 TG Togo 8.2 BJ Benin 8.5 NG Nigeria 9.3 ML Mali 9.5 GN Guinea 10 GW Guinea-Bissau 10.8 GM Gambia 11.9 BF Burkina Faso 12.5 SN Senegal 15.7 NE Niger 19.3
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 Ghana

Nutrition Obesity in adults

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

Ghana by year Nutrition Prevalence of undernourishment

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

Ghana by year Nutrition Stunting in children

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

Ghana by year Nutrition Tobacco use prevalence

The share of adults who use tobacco in any form.

Ghana by year Nutrition Access to clean water

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

Ghana by year Nutrition Access to basic sanitation

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

Ghana by year
All indicators for Ghana