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Underweight in adults — all countries

Underweight in adults — Malawi

Underweight in adults in Malawi in 2024 — 8%. Ranked 151 in the world out of 199. Since 1980, the indicator has fallen by 7.9 pp.

2024 8% −0 pp vs 2023
World rank 151of 199
Period maximum 16%1980
Period minimum 8%2024

Trend over time

1980–2024 · % of adults

Underweight in adults — Malawi, 1980–202481012141619801985199019952000200520102015202020241980: 16%1981: 15.7%1982: 15.5%1983: 15.3%1984: 15%1985: 14.8%1986: 14.6%1987: 14.3%1988: 14.1%1989: 13.9%1990: 13.7%1991: 13.4%1992: 13.2%1993: 13%1994: 12.8%1995: 12.6%1996: 12.4%1997: 12.2%1998: 12%1999: 11.8%2000: 11.5%2001: 11.3%2002: 11.1%2003: 10.9%2004: 10.6%2005: 10.4%2006: 10.2%2007: 10%2008: 9.7%2009: 9.5%2010: 9.3%2011: 9.1%2012: 9%2013: 8.8%2014: 8.7%2015: 8.5%2016: 8.4%2017: 8.3%2018: 8.2%2019: 8.2%2020: 8.1%2021: 8.1%2022: 8.1%2023: 8.1%2024: 8%
Change over the period: −7.9 pp Annual average: -0.18 pp

Comparison, 2024

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

Malawi 8%
World computed 7.5%
Sub-Saharan Africa computed 12.1%
Eastern Africa computed 15.1%
Low-income countries computed 13.8%
Underweight in adults — Malawi, by year Malawi All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2024 8 −0 pp
2023 8.1 −0 pp
2022 8.1 −0 pp
2021 8.1 −0 pp
2020 8.1 −0 pp
2019 8.2 −0.1 pp
2018 8.2 −0.1 pp
2017 8.3 −0.1 pp
2016 8.4 −0.1 pp
2015 8.5 −0.1 pp
2014 8.7 −0.1 pp
2013 8.8 −0.2 pp
2012 9 −0.2 pp
2011 9.1 −0.2 pp
2010 9.3 −0.2 pp
2009 9.5 −0.2 pp
2008 9.7 −0.2 pp
2007 10 −0.2 pp
2006 10.2 −0.2 pp
2005 10.4 −0.2 pp
2004 10.6 −0.2 pp
2003 10.9 −0.2 pp
2002 11.1 −0.2 pp
2001 11.3 −0.2 pp
2000 11.5 −0.2 pp
1999 11.8 −0.2 pp
1998 12 −0.2 pp
1997 12.2 −0.2 pp
1996 12.4 −0.2 pp
1995 12.6 −0.2 pp
1994 12.8 −0.2 pp
1993 13 −0.2 pp
1992 13.2 −0.2 pp
1991 13.4 −0.2 pp
1990 13.7 −0.2 pp
1989 13.9 −0.2 pp
1988 14.1 −0.2 pp
1987 14.3 −0.2 pp
1986 14.6 −0.2 pp
1985 14.8 −0.2 pp
1984 15 −0.2 pp
1983 15.3 −0.2 pp
1982 15.5 −0.2 pp
1981 15.7 −0.2 pp
1980 16 —

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 Malawi

Nutrition Obesity in adults

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

Malawi by year Nutrition Prevalence of undernourishment

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

Malawi by year Nutrition Stunting in children

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

Malawi by year Nutrition Tobacco use prevalence

The share of adults who use tobacco in any form.

Malawi by year Nutrition Access to clean water

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

Malawi by year Nutrition Access to basic sanitation

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

Malawi by year
All indicators for Malawi