Underweight in adults — all countries

Underweight in adults — NATO

Underweight in adults in NATO in 2024 — 2.3%. Since 1980, the indicator has fallen by 1 pp.

2024 2.3% +0 pp vs 2023
World rank
Period maximum 3.3%1980
Period minimum 2.1%2010

Trend over time

1980–2024 · % of adults

Underweight in adults — NATO, 1980–202422.533.519801985199019952000200520102015202020241980: 3.3%1981: 3.2%1982: 3.1%1983: 3%1984: 3%1985: 2.9%1986: 2.8%1987: 2.8%1988: 2.7%1989: 2.6%1990: 2.6%1991: 2.5%1992: 2.5%1993: 2.4%1994: 2.4%1995: 2.4%1996: 2.3%1997: 2.3%1998: 2.3%1999: 2.2%2000: 2.2%2001: 2.2%2002: 2.2%2003: 2.2%2004: 2.1%2005: 2.1%2006: 2.1%2007: 2.1%2008: 2.1%2009: 2.1%2010: 2.1%2011: 2.1%2012: 2.1%2013: 2.1%2014: 2.1%2015: 2.1%2016: 2.1%2017: 2.2%2018: 2.2%2019: 2.2%2020: 2.2%2021: 2.2%2022: 2.3%2023: 2.3%2024: 2.3%
Change over the period: −1 pp Annual average: -0.02 pp

Comparison, 2024

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

NATO 2.3%
World computed 7.5%
Underweight in adults — NATO, by year NATO All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2024 2.3 +0 pp
2023 2.3 +0 pp
2022 2.3 +0 pp
2021 2.2 +0 pp
2020 2.2 +0 pp
2019 2.2 +0 pp
2018 2.2 +0 pp
2017 2.2 +0 pp
2016 2.1 +0 pp
2015 2.1 +0 pp
2014 2.1 +0 pp
2013 2.1 +0 pp
2012 2.1 +0 pp
2011 2.1 +0 pp
2010 2.1 −0 pp
2009 2.1 −0 pp
2008 2.1 −0 pp
2007 2.1 −0 pp
2006 2.1 −0 pp
2005 2.1 −0 pp
2004 2.1 −0 pp
2003 2.2 −0 pp
2002 2.2 −0 pp
2001 2.2 −0 pp
2000 2.2 −0 pp
1999 2.2 −0 pp
1998 2.3 −0 pp
1997 2.3 −0 pp
1996 2.3 −0 pp
1995 2.4 −0 pp
1994 2.4 −0 pp
1993 2.4 −0 pp
1992 2.5 −0 pp
1991 2.5 −0.1 pp
1990 2.6 −0.1 pp
1989 2.6 −0.1 pp
1988 2.7 −0.1 pp
1987 2.8 −0.1 pp
1986 2.8 −0.1 pp
1985 2.9 −0.1 pp
1984 3 −0.1 pp
1983 3 −0.1 pp
1982 3.1 −0.1 pp
1981 3.2 −0.1 pp
1980 3.3

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.