Underweight in adults — all countries

Underweight in adults — Malaysia

Underweight in adults in Malaysia in 2024 — 5.6%. Ranked 132 in the world out of 199. Since 1980, the indicator has fallen by 15 pp.

2024 5.6% −0.1 pp vs 2023
World rank 132of 199
Period maximum 20.5%1980
Period minimum 5.6%2024

Trend over time

1980–2024 · % of adults

Underweight in adults — Malaysia, 1980–2024010203019801985199019952000200520102015202020241980: 20.5%1981: 20%1982: 19.4%1983: 18.9%1984: 18.3%1985: 17.8%1986: 17.2%1987: 16.7%1988: 16.1%1989: 15.6%1990: 15.1%1991: 14.5%1992: 14%1993: 13.6%1994: 13.1%1995: 12.7%1996: 12.2%1997: 11.8%1998: 11.5%1999: 11.1%2000: 10.7%2001: 10.4%2002: 10.1%2003: 9.7%2004: 9.4%2005: 9.1%2006: 8.8%2007: 8.5%2008: 8.3%2009: 8%2010: 7.8%2011: 7.5%2012: 7.3%2013: 7.1%2014: 6.9%2015: 6.7%2016: 6.5%2017: 6.4%2018: 6.2%2019: 6.1%2020: 6%2021: 5.9%2022: 5.8%2023: 5.7%2024: 5.6%
Change over the period: −15 pp Annual average: -0.34 pp

Comparison, 2024

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

Malaysia 5.6%
World computed 7.5%
East Asia & Pacific computed 6.6%
South-Eastern Asia computed 9.8%
Underweight in adults — Malaysia, by year Malaysia All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2024 5.6 −0.1 pp
2023 5.7 −0.1 pp
2022 5.8 −0.1 pp
2021 5.9 −0.1 pp
2020 6 −0.1 pp
2019 6.1 −0.1 pp
2018 6.2 −0.1 pp
2017 6.4 −0.2 pp
2016 6.5 −0.2 pp
2015 6.7 −0.2 pp
2014 6.9 −0.2 pp
2013 7.1 −0.2 pp
2012 7.3 −0.2 pp
2011 7.5 −0.2 pp
2010 7.8 −0.2 pp
2009 8 −0.3 pp
2008 8.3 −0.3 pp
2007 8.5 −0.3 pp
2006 8.8 −0.3 pp
2005 9.1 −0.3 pp
2004 9.4 −0.3 pp
2003 9.7 −0.3 pp
2002 10.1 −0.3 pp
2001 10.4 −0.3 pp
2000 10.7 −0.4 pp
1999 11.1 −0.4 pp
1998 11.5 −0.4 pp
1997 11.8 −0.4 pp
1996 12.2 −0.4 pp
1995 12.7 −0.4 pp
1994 13.1 −0.5 pp
1993 13.6 −0.5 pp
1992 14 −0.5 pp
1991 14.5 −0.5 pp
1990 15.1 −0.5 pp
1989 15.6 −0.5 pp
1988 16.1 −0.6 pp
1987 16.7 −0.6 pp
1986 17.2 −0.6 pp
1985 17.8 −0.6 pp
1984 18.3 −0.6 pp
1983 18.9 −0.6 pp
1982 19.4 −0.5 pp
1981 20 −0.5 pp
1980 20.5

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.