Underweight in adults — all countries

Underweight in adults — Ireland

Underweight in adults in Ireland in 2024 — 1.5%. Ranked 16 in the world out of 199. Since 1980, the indicator has fallen by 0.6 pp.

2024 1.5% +0 pp vs 2023
World rank 16of 199
Period maximum 2.1%1980
Period minimum 1.1%2005

Trend over time

1980–2024 · % of adults

Underweight in adults — Ireland, 1980–202411.522.519801985199019952000200520102015202020241980: 2.1%1981: 2%1982: 1.9%1983: 1.8%1984: 1.7%1985: 1.7%1986: 1.6%1987: 1.5%1988: 1.5%1989: 1.4%1990: 1.4%1991: 1.3%1992: 1.3%1993: 1.2%1994: 1.2%1995: 1.2%1996: 1.1%1997: 1.1%1998: 1.1%1999: 1.1%2000: 1.1%2001: 1.1%2002: 1.1%2003: 1.1%2004: 1.1%2005: 1.1%2006: 1.1%2007: 1.1%2008: 1.1%2009: 1.1%2010: 1.1%2011: 1.1%2012: 1.1%2013: 1.1%2014: 1.2%2015: 1.2%2016: 1.2%2017: 1.2%2018: 1.3%2019: 1.3%2020: 1.3%2021: 1.3%2022: 1.4%2023: 1.4%2024: 1.5%
Change over the period: −0.6 pp Annual average: -0.01 pp

Comparison, 2024

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

Ireland 1.5%
World computed 7.5%
Europe & Central Asia computed 2.5%
Northern Europe computed 2%
High-income countries computed 3.3%
Underweight in adults — Ireland, by year Ireland All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2024 1.5 +0 pp
2023 1.4 +0 pp
2022 1.4 +0 pp
2021 1.3 +0 pp
2020 1.3 +0 pp
2019 1.3 +0 pp
2018 1.3 +0 pp
2017 1.2 +0 pp
2016 1.2 +0 pp
2015 1.2 +0 pp
2014 1.2 +0 pp
2013 1.1 +0 pp
2012 1.1 +0 pp
2011 1.1 +0 pp
2010 1.1 +0 pp
2009 1.1 +0 pp
2008 1.1 +0 pp
2007 1.1 +0 pp
2006 1.1 +0 pp
2005 1.1 −0 pp
2004 1.1 −0 pp
2003 1.1 −0 pp
2002 1.1 −0 pp
2001 1.1 −0 pp
2000 1.1 −0 pp
1999 1.1 −0 pp
1998 1.1 −0 pp
1997 1.1 −0 pp
1996 1.1 −0 pp
1995 1.2 −0 pp
1994 1.2 −0 pp
1993 1.2 −0 pp
1992 1.3 −0 pp
1991 1.3 −0 pp
1990 1.4 −0.1 pp
1989 1.4 −0.1 pp
1988 1.5 −0.1 pp
1987 1.5 −0.1 pp
1986 1.6 −0.1 pp
1985 1.7 −0.1 pp
1984 1.7 −0.1 pp
1983 1.8 −0.1 pp
1982 1.9 −0.1 pp
1981 2 −0.1 pp
1980 2.1

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.