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Underweight in adults — all countries

Underweight in adults — Japan

Underweight in adults in Japan in 2024 — 11.2%. Ranked 169 in the world out of 199. Since 1980, the indicator has risen by 2.6 pp.

2024 11.2% +0.1 pp vs 2023
World rank 169of 199
Period maximum 11.2%2024
Period minimum 8.3%1992

Trend over time

1980–2024 · % of adults

Underweight in adults — Japan, 1980–20248910111219801985199019952000200520102015202020241980: 8.6%1981: 8.6%1982: 8.5%1983: 8.5%1984: 8.5%1985: 8.5%1986: 8.5%1987: 8.4%1988: 8.4%1989: 8.4%1990: 8.3%1991: 8.3%1992: 8.3%1993: 8.3%1994: 8.3%1995: 8.3%1996: 8.4%1997: 8.4%1998: 8.5%1999: 8.6%2000: 8.7%2001: 8.8%2002: 8.9%2003: 9%2004: 9.1%2005: 9.2%2006: 9.3%2007: 9.4%2008: 9.6%2009: 9.7%2010: 9.8%2011: 9.9%2012: 10%2013: 10.1%2014: 10.2%2015: 10.3%2016: 10.3%2017: 10.4%2018: 10.5%2019: 10.6%2020: 10.7%2021: 10.8%2022: 10.9%2023: 11.1%2024: 11.2%
Change over the period: +2.6 pp Annual average: 0.06 pp

Comparison, 2024

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

Japan 11.2%
World computed 7.5%
East Asia & Pacific computed 6.6%
Eastern Asia computed 5.3%
High-income countries computed 3.3%
Underweight in adults — Japan, by year Japan All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2024 11.2 +0.1 pp
2023 11.1 +0.1 pp
2022 10.9 +0.1 pp
2021 10.8 +0.1 pp
2020 10.7 +0.1 pp
2019 10.6 +0.1 pp
2018 10.5 +0.1 pp
2017 10.4 +0.1 pp
2016 10.3 +0.1 pp
2015 10.3 +0.1 pp
2014 10.2 +0.1 pp
2013 10.1 +0.1 pp
2012 10 +0.1 pp
2011 9.9 +0.1 pp
2010 9.8 +0.1 pp
2009 9.7 +0.1 pp
2008 9.6 +0.1 pp
2007 9.4 +0.1 pp
2006 9.3 +0.1 pp
2005 9.2 +0.1 pp
2004 9.1 +0.1 pp
2003 9 +0.1 pp
2002 8.9 +0.1 pp
2001 8.8 +0.1 pp
2000 8.7 +0.1 pp
1999 8.6 +0.1 pp
1998 8.5 +0.1 pp
1997 8.4 +0.1 pp
1996 8.4 +0 pp
1995 8.3 +0 pp
1994 8.3 +0 pp
1993 8.3 +0 pp
1992 8.3 −0 pp
1991 8.3 −0 pp
1990 8.3 −0 pp
1989 8.4 −0 pp
1988 8.4 −0 pp
1987 8.4 −0 pp
1986 8.5 −0 pp
1985 8.5 −0 pp
1984 8.5 −0 pp
1983 8.5 −0 pp
1982 8.5 −0 pp
1981 8.6 −0 pp
1980 8.6 —

Eastern Asia, 2024

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

MN Mongolia 3.3 CN China 4.7 KR South Korea 5.5 KP North Korea 9.8 JP Japan 11.2
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 Japan

Nutrition Obesity in adults

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

Japan by year Nutrition Stunting in children

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

Japan by year Nutrition Tobacco use prevalence

The share of adults who use tobacco in any form.

Japan by year Nutrition Access to clean water

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

Japan by year Nutrition Access to basic sanitation

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

Japan by year
All indicators for Japan