Malnutrition: Share of children who are wasted in South Africa
South Africa: Malnutrition: Share of children who are wasted was 3.6% in 2017. ▼ Falling
Malnutrition: Share of children who are wasted in South Africa, 1994–2017
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
In 2017, malnutrition: share of children who are wasted in South Africa stood at 3.6%.
That represents a change of up 44.0% on the previous year and down 33.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, malnutrition: share of children who are wasted in South Africa peaked at 5.4% in 2008 and was at its lowest, 2.5%, in 2016.
That places South Africa 54th out of 99 countries with data for 2017, putting it in the middle of the range.
Malnutrition: Share of children who are wasted in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % of children under 5 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | 3.3% | — |
| 1999 | 4.5% | +36.4% |
| 2008 | 5.4% | +20.0% |
| 2015 | 3.4% | -37.0% |
| 2016 | 2.5% | -26.5% |
| 2017 | 3.6% | +44.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 3.9% | 3.3% | 4.5% | 2 |
| 2000s | 5.4% | 5.4% | 5.4% | 1 |
| 2010s | 3.2% | 2.5% | 3.6% | 3 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 51 Venezuela 4.1% compare
- 52 Saudi Arabia 3.9% compare
- 53 Mozambique 3.8% compare
- 54 Afghanistan 3.6% compare
- 56 Azerbaijan 3.5% compare
- 56 Kuwait 3.5% compare
- 56 Romania 3.5% compare
More reference data data for South Africa
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.5111 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 8.71 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 13.63 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.7468 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 13.63 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.71 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 1.49 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 41.1 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 63.65 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 4.07 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is malnutrition: share of children who are wasted in South Africa?
- Malnutrition: share of children who are wasted in South Africa was 3.6% in 2017, 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 wasted recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 5.4% in 2008.
- What is the lowest malnutrition: share of children who are wasted recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.5% in 2016.
- How does South Africa rank for malnutrition: share of children who are wasted?
- South Africa ranks 54th out of 99 countries with data for 2017.
- Is malnutrition: share of children who are wasted rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 33.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Africa 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 wasted. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
The share of children younger than five years old that are defined as "wasted". Wasting is when a child’s weight is significantly lower than the average for their height, for example, because of acute food shortage or disease.