Malnutrition: Share of children who are underweight in China
China: Malnutrition: Share of children who are underweight was 2.4% in 2013. ◆ Volatile
Malnutrition: Share of children who are underweight in China, 1987–2013
Source: Joint child Malnutrition Estimates (JME) - UNICEF, WHO, and World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of children under 5.
Analysis
The most recent figure for malnutrition: share of children who are underweight in China is 2.4%, measured in 2013. That is the lowest value across all 12 years on record.
The figure is down 29.4% on the previous year and down 64.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, malnutrition: share of children who are underweight in China peaked at 18.7% in 1987 and was at its lowest, 2.4%, in 2013.
That places China 85th out of 96 countries with data for 2013, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Malnutrition: Share of children who are underweight in China, year by year
| Year | % of children under 5 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1987 | 18.7% | — |
| 1990 | 12.6% | -32.6% |
| 1992 | 14.2% | +12.7% |
| 1995 | 10.7% | -24.6% |
| 1998 | 6.9% | -35.5% |
| 2000 | 7.4% | +7.2% |
| 2002 | 6.8% | -8.1% |
| 2005 | 4.5% | -33.8% |
| 2008 | 3.8% | -15.6% |
| 2009 | 3.4% | -10.5% |
| 2010 | 3.4% | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 2.4% | -29.4% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 2.4% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 4.0%, 59% of the median. (26 countries reporting)
- China's 2.4% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 15.3%, 16% of the median. (13 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 18.7% | 18.7% | 18.7% | 1 |
| 1990s | 11.1% | 6.9% | 14.2% | 4 |
| 2000s | 5.2% | 3.4% | 7.4% | 5 |
| 2010s | 2.9% | 2.4% | 3.4% | 2 |
Countries ranked near China
More reference data data for China
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 49.4 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 75.5 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 303.29 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 18.8 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 303.29 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 165.62 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 206.2 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 350.74 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 1,480 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 102.37 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is malnutrition: share of children who are underweight in China?
- Malnutrition: share of children who are underweight in China was 2.4% in 2013, according to Joint child Malnutrition Estimates (JME) - UNICEF, WHO, and World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest malnutrition: share of children who are underweight recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 18.7% in 1987.
- What is the lowest malnutrition: share of children who are underweight recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.4% in 2013.
- How does China rank for malnutrition: share of children who are underweight?
- China ranks 85th out of 96 countries with data for 2013.
- Is malnutrition: share of children who are underweight rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 64.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from Joint child Malnutrition Estimates (JME) - UNICEF, WHO, and World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Malnutrition: Share of children who are underweight. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 12 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
The share of children younger than five years old whose weight for age is more than two standard deviations below the median for the international reference population for ages 0-59 months.