Last update: Feb 2013
Underweight disparities
| Countries and territories | National | Male | Female | Urban | Rural | Poorest | Poorer | Middle | Richer | Richest | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Afghanistan | 33 | 33 | 33 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | Other, 2004 |
| Albania | 5 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 4 | DHS, 2008-2009 |
| Algeria | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | MICS, 2006 |
| Andorra | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Angola | 16 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | Other, 2007 |
| Antigua and Barbuda | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Argentina | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | Other, 2005-2006 |
| Armenia | 5 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 7 | 8 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 2 | DHS, 2010 |
| Australia | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Austria | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Azerbaijan | 8 | 8 | 7 | 4 | 12 | 15 | 9 | 6 | 3 | 2 | DHS, 2006 |
| Bahamas | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Bahrain | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Bangladesh | 36 | 34 | 39 | 28 | 39 | 50 | 42 | 36 | 28 | 21 | pDHS, 2011 |
| Barbados | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Belarus | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | MICS, 2005 |
| Belgium | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Belize | 4 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 6 | - | - | - | - | - | MICS, 2006 |
| Benin | 18 | 21 | 16 | 15 | 21 | 25 | 21 | 20 | 15 | 10 | DHS, 2006 |
| Bhutan | 13 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 14 | 10 | 7 | MICS, 2010 |
| Bolivia (Plurinational State of) | 4 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 2 | DHS, 2008 |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | MICS, 2006 |
| Botswana | 11 | 12 | 10 | - | - | 16 | 15 | 11 | 6 | 4 | Other, 2007 |
| Brazil | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | Other, 2006 |
| Brunei Darussalam | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Bulgaria | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Burkina Faso | 26 | 28 | 23 | - | - | Other, 2009 | |||||
| Burundi | 28 | 28 | 29 | 19 | 30 | 35 | 33 | 28 | 25 | 16 | Other, 2010 |
| Cambodia | 28 | 28 | 29 | 19 | 30 | 35 | 33 | 28 | 25 | 16 | Other, 2010 |
| Cameroon | 15 | 15 | 14 | 7 | 20 | DHS, 2011 | |||||
| Canada | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Cape Verde | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Central African Republic | 24 | 26 | 21 | 23 | 24 | 26 | 25 | 22 | 24 | 19 | MICS, 2010 |
| Chad | 30 | 33 | 28 | 22 | 30 | 33 | 31 | 33 | 34 | 21 | MICS, 2010 |
| Chile | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| China | 4 | 1 | 4 | - | - | - | - | - | Other, 2010 | ||
| Colombia | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | DHS, 2010 |
| Comoros | 21 | 23 | 19 | 23 | 21 | 26 | 22 | 24 | 16 | 17 | MICS, 2000 |
| Congo | 11 | 12 | 11 | 8 | 15 | 16 | 13 | 12 | 8 | 5 | DHS, 2005 |
| Congo, Democratic Republic of the | 24 | 27 | 21 | 17 | 27 | 29 | 28 | 27 | 21 | 12 | MICS, 2010 |
| Cook Islands | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Costa Rica | 1 | 1 | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | Other, 2008-2009 |
| Côte d'Ivoire | 16 | 17 | 14 | Other, 2011 | |||||||
| Croatia | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Cuba | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Cyprus | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Czech Republic | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Denmark | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Djibouti | 23 | - | - | 27 | 27 | - | - | - | - | - | Other, 2010 |
| Dominica | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Dominican Republic | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | DHS, 2007 |
| Ecuador | 6 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | Other, 2004 |
| Egypt | 6 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | DHS, 2008 |
| El Salvador | 6 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 7 | 12 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 1 | Other, 2008 |
| Equatorial Guinea | 11 | 11 | 10 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | Other, 2004 |
| Eritrea | 35 | 36 | 33 | 23 | 40 | - | - | - | - | - | DHS, 2002 |
| Estonia | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Ethiopia | 29 | 31 | 27 | 16 | 30 | 36 | 33 | 29 | 26 | 15 | DHS, 2011 |
| Fiji | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Finland | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| France | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Gabon | 8 | 10 | 7 | 7 | 12 | 15 | 10 | 8 | 4 | 4 | DHS, 2000 |
| Gambia | 18 | 19 | 18 | 12 | 22 | 24 | 20 | 19 | 16 | 9 | MICS, 2010 |
| Georgia | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | Other, 2009 |
| Germany | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Ghana | 14 | 15 | 12 | 11 | 16 | 19 | 17 | 13 | 8 | 9 | DHS, 2008 |
| Greece | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Grenada | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Guatemala | 13 | 14 | 12 | 8 | 16 | 21 | 14 | 11 | 5 | 3 | Other, 2008-2009 |
| Guinea | 21 | 22 | 20 | 15 | 23 | 24 | 22 | 21 | 19 | 19 | Other, 2008 |
| Guinea-Bissau | 18 | 19 | 17 | 13 | 21 | 22 | 22 | 18 | 13 | 11 | MICS, 2010 |
| Guyana | 11 | 12 | 9 | 7 | 12 | 16 | 13 | 8 | 8 | 4 | DHS, 2009 |
| Haiti | 18 | 19 | 17 | 12 | 20 | 22 | 23 | 22 | 13 | 6 | DHS, 2005-2006 |
| Holy See | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Honduras | 8 | 8 | 8 | 4 | 11 | 16 | 10 | 6 | 3 | 2 | DHS, 2005-2006 |
| Hungary | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Iceland | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| India | 43 | 42 | 43 | 33 | 46 | 57 | 49 | 41 | 34 | 20 | NFHS, 2005-2006 |
| Indonesia | 18 | 19 | 17 | 15 | 21 | 23 | 19 | 18 | 15 | 10 | Other, 2010 |
| Iran (Islamic Republic Of) | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Iraq | 6 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 7 | - | - | - | - | - | MICS, 2006 |
| Ireland | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Israel | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Italy | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Jamaica | 2 | 2 | 3 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | Other, 2007 |
| Japan | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Jordan | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | DHS, 2009 |
| Kazakhstan | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 | MICS, 2006 |
| Kenya | 16 | 17 | 15 | 10 | 17 | 25 | 17 | 16 | 10 | 9 | DHS, 2008-2009 |
| Kiribati | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Korea, Democratic People's Republic of | 19 | 19 | 19 | 13 | 27 | - | - | - | - | - | MICS, 2009 |
| Republic of Korea | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Kuwait | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Kyrgyzstan | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | MICS, 2006 |
| Lao People's Democratic Republic | 31 | 32 | 30 | 20 | 34 | 38 | 31 | 34 | 26 | 14 | MICS, 2006 |
| Latvia | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Lebanon | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Lesotho | 13 | 16 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 18 | 14 | 12 | 12 | 9 | DHS, 2009 |
| Liberia | 15 | 17 | 13 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | Other, 2010 |
| Libya | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Liechtenstein | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Lithuania | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Luxembourg | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | pMICS, 2011 |
| Madagascar | 36 | 38 | 33 | 31 | 37 | 40 | 41 | 39 | 29 | 24 | DHS, 2003-2004 |
| Malawi | 13 | 14 | 12 | 10 | 13 | 17 | 14 | 12 | 14 | 13 | DHS, 2010 |
| Malaysia | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | Other, 2006 |
| Maldives | 17 | 18 | 17 | 11 | 20 | 24 | 19 | 19 | 13 | 11 | DHS, 2009 |
| Mali | 27 | 28 | 25 | 20 | 29 | 31 | 29 | 30 | 26 | 17 | DHS, 2006 |
| Malta | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Marshall Islands | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Mauritania | 20 | 23 | 18 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | Other, 2010 |
| Mauritius | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Mexico | 3 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | Other, 2006 |
| Micronesia (Federated States of) | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Republic of Moldova | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 1 | DHS, 2005 |
| Monaco | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Mongolia | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 2 | MICS, 2010 |
| Montenegro | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | MICS, 2005 |
| Morocco | 3 | - | - | 2 | 4 | - | - | - | - | - | Other, 2010-2011 |
| Mozambique | 15 | 17 | 13 | 10 | 17 | pDHS, 2011 | |||||
| Myanmar | 23 | 23 | 22 | 19 | 24 | 33 | 24 | 22 | 17 | 14 | MICS, 2009-2010 |
| Namibia | 17 | 18 | 16 | 12 | 19 | 22 | 21 | 16 | 13 | 7 | DHS, 2006-2007 |
| Nauru | 5 | 7 | 3 | - | - | 7 | 2 | 7 | 7 | 3 | DHS, 2007 |
| Nepal | 29 | 30 | 28 | 17 | 30 | 40 | 32 | 29 | 23 | 10 | DHS, 2011 |
| Netherlands | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| New Zealand | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Nicaragua | 6 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 9 | 6 | 6 | 3 | 1 | Other, 2006-2007 |
| Niger | 39 | 40 | 37 | 44 | 39 | - | - | - | - | - | Other, 2011 |
| Nigeria | 23 | 25 | 22 | 16 | 27 | 35 | 29 | 22 | 17 | 10 | DHS, 2008 |
| Niue | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Norway | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Oman | 9 | 9 | 8 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | Other, 2009 |
| Pakistan | 32 | 27 | 33 | - | - | - | - | - | Other, 2011 | ||
| Palau | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Panama | 4 | 3 | 5 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | Other, 2008 |
| Papua New Guinea | 18 | - | - | 12 | 20 | - | - | - | - | - | Other, 2005 |
| Paraguay | 3 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | Other, 2005 |
| Peru | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 8 | 10 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 1 | DHS, 2011 |
| Philippines | 22 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | Other, 2008 |
| Poland | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Portugal | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Qatar | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Romania | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 | - | - | - | - | - | Other, 2002 |
| Russian Federation | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Rwanda | 11 | 13 | 10 | 6 | 12 | 16 | 14 | 11 | 9 | 5 | DHS, 2010 |
| Saint Kitts and Nevis | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Saint Lucia | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Samoa | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| San Marino | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Sao Tome and Principe | 13 | 16 | 11 | 12 | 14 | 18 | 13 | 15 | 11 | 7 | DHS, 2008-2009 |
| Saudi Arabia | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Senegal | 18 | 19 | 17 | 12 | 21 | 24 | 22 | 16 | 14 | 10 | DHS, 2010-2011 |
| Serbia | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | MICS, 2010 |
| Seychelles | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Sierra Leone | 22 | 24 | 20 | 20 | 22 | 22 | 25 | 24 | 20 | 15 | MICS, 2010 |
| Singapore | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | Other, 2000 |
| Slovakia | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Slovenia | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Solomon Islands | 12 | 10 | 13 | 8 | 12 | 14 | 12 | 13 | 9 | 10 | DHS, 2007 |
| Somalia | 32 | 33 | 30 | 20 | 38 | 42 | 42 | 36 | 23 | 14 | MICS, 2006 |
| South Sudan | 28 | 30 | 25 | 23 | 29 | 32 | 35 | 27 | 24 | 21 | SHHS, 2010 |
| South Africa | 9 | 10 | 8 | 10 | 9 | - | - | - | - | - | DHS, 2003 |
| Spain | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Sri Lanka | 21 | 22 | 20 | - | - | 29 | 25 | 22 | 18 | 11 | DHS, 2006-2007 |
| State of Palestine | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Sudan | 32 | 34 | 31 | 24 | 35 | 40 | 40 | 32 | 25 | 17 | SHHS, 2010 |
| Suriname | 7 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 5 | MICS, 2006 |
| Swaziland | 6 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 4 | MICS, 2010 |
| Sweden | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Switzerland | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Syrian Arab Republic | 9 | 10 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 7 | Other, 2010 |
| Tajikistan | 15 | 16 | 14 | 12 | 16 | 17 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 13 | Other, 2007 |
| Tanzania | 16 | 17 | 14 | 11 | 17 | 22 | 18 | 14 | 13 | 9 | DHS, 2010 |
| Thailand | 7 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 8 | 11 | 7 | 8 | 5 | 3 | MICS, 2005-2006 |
| Timor-Leste | 45 | 46 | 44 | 35 | 47 | 49 | 48 | 48 | 41 | 35 | DHS, 2009-2010 |
| Togo | 17 | 19 | 15 | 10 | 20 | 21 | 23 | 15 | 12 | 9 | MICS, 2010 |
| Tonga | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Trinidad and Tobago | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Tunisia | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | MICS, 2006 |
| Turkey | 2 | - | - | 1 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | DHS, 2008 |
| Turkmenistan | 8 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 11 | 9 | 11 | 2 | MICS, 2006 |
| Tuvalu | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 0 | DHS, 2007 |
| Uganda | 14 | 15 | 13 | 7 | 15 | - | - | - | - | - | pDHS, 2011 |
| Ukraine | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| United Arab Emirates | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| United Kingdom | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| United States | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | Other, 1999-2002 |
| Uruguay | 5 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | Other, 2002 |
| Uzbekistan | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | MICS, 2006 |
| Vanuatu | 11 | 14 | 8 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 14 | 9 | 9 | 10 | Other, 2007 |
| Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) | 4 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | Other, 2007 |
| Viet Nam | 12 | 12 | 11 | 6 | 14 | 21 | 11 | 14 | 9 | 3 | MICS, 2010-2011 |
| Yemen | 43 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | Other, 2003 |
| Zambia | 15 | 17 | 13 | 13 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 13 | 11 | DHS, 2007 |
| Zimbabwe | 10 | 11 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 11 | 9 | 9 | 6 | DHS 2010-2011 |