Current status

Underweight

There are an estimated 127 million underweight children in the developing world today, which translates into 22 per cent of children in developing countries; 9 per cent of the children in the developing world are severely underweight.

The high prevalence of underweight in South Asia stands out in comparison to other regions of the world. Latin America and the Caribbean has the lowest rate, which at 4 per cent is only a small fraction of underweight prevalence in most other regions.

More than 4 in 10 children are underweight in South Asia
Percentage of children under five years old suffering from underweight (moderate and severe)

Note: Estimates are calculated according to WHO Child Growth Standards.
Source:UNICEF global databases, from Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS), Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) and other national surveys, 2003–2009.

Stunting

Stunting, an indicator of chronic undernutrition, is an even bigger problem than underweight. In the developing world, approximately 195 million children under five years old are stunted. Nearly half of these children live in South Asia. Due to the high prevalence of stunting in combination with a large population, India alone has an estimated 61 million stunted children, accounting for more than 3 out of every 10 stunted children in the developing countries.

195 million children in the developing world are stunted
Number of under-five children who are stunted (moderate and severe) in the developing world (in millions)

Stunting is a widespread problem affecting approximately one third of children in the developing world. Africa and Asia have particularly high rates, of 40 per cent and 35 per cent respectively. This indicates an urgent need to accelerate integrated programmes addressing nutrition during the mother’s pregnancy and before the child reaches two years of age, the period of children’s most rapid physical and mental growth and development

One third of children in developing world are stunted
Percentage of children under five years old suffering from stunting (moderate and severe)

Wasting

Children who suffer from wasting face a markedly increased risk of death. A number of African and Asian countries have wasting rates that exceed 15 per cent, with one region, South Asia, with an average rate of 19 per cent.

In three regions, wasting prevalence is at least 10 per cent
Percentage of children under five who are wasted (moderate and severe)

Note:  Estimates are calculated according to WHO Child Growth Standards. East Asia and Pacific regional average is not available due to lack of data coverage.
Source: UNICEF global databases, from MICS, DHS and other national surveys, 2003-2009.

Disparities

There is little difference in underweight prevalence between girls and boys. Yet in all regions of the world, children living in rural areas are more likely to be underweight than those in urban areas. In developing countries, children are twice as likely to be underweight in rural areas as in urban areas. Data disaggregated according to wealth show children from the poorest 20 per cent of households more likely to be underweight than those from the richest 20 per cent.

Underweight prevalence is more common in rural areas than in urban areas and similar among boys and girls
Percentage of children 0–59 months old who are underweight, by area of residence and by gender

Across developing regions, underweight prevalence is higher in the poorest households
Percentage of children 0–59 months old who are underweight, by household wealth quintile

Note:  Analysis is based on a subset of 61 countries with household wealth quintile information, covering 52 per cent of the under-five population in the developing world. Prevalence estimates are calculated according to WHO Child Growth Standards, 2003–2009. CEE/CIS, East Asia and the Pacific, and Latin America and the Caribbean are not included due to lack of data coverage.
Source: UNICEF global databases, from MICS, DHS and other national surveys, 2003–2009

In the developing world, children living in rural areas are almost 1.5 times as likely to be stunted as those in urban areas. Children in the poorest 20 per cent of households are twice as likely to be stunted as children in the richest 20 per cent of households.

Children living in rural areas and children in the poorest 20 per cent of households are more likely to be stunted
Percentage of children 0–59 months old who are stunted, by gender, area of residence and household wealth level

Note: Prevalence estimates are calculated according to WHO Child Growth Standards. Analysis is based on data from countries with background information. For gender disparity, data are from 83 countries covering 58 per cent of the under-five population in the developing world. For residence disparity, data are from 72 countries covering 65 per cent of the under-five population in the developing world. For wealth disparity, data are from 61 countries covering 52 per cent of the under-five population in the developing world.
Source: UNICEF global databases, from MICS, DHS and other national surveys, 2003–2009.