Middle East & North Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) | Prevalence of undernourishment (% of population)

Prevalence of undernourishments is the percentage of the population whose habitual food consumption is insufficient to provide the dietary energy levels that are required to maintain a normal active and healthy life. Data showing as 2.5 may signify a prevalence of undernourishment below 2.5%. Development relevance: Good nutrition is the cornerstone for survival, health and development. Well-nourished children perform better in school, grow into healthy adults and in turn give their children a better start in life. Well-nourished women face fewer risks during pregnancy and childbirth, and their children set off on firmer developmental paths, both physically and mentally (UNICEF www.childinfo.org). Limitations and exceptions: From a policy and program standpoint, this measure has its limits. First, food insecurity exists even where food availability is not a problem because of inadequate access of poor households to food. Second, food insecurity is an individual or household phenomenon, and the average food available to each person, even corrected for possible effects of low income, is not a good predictor of food insecurity among the population. And third, nutrition security is determined not only by food security but also by the quality of care of mothers and children and the quality of the household's health environment (Smith and Haddad 2000). Statistical concept and methodology: Data on undernourishment are from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations and measure food deprivation based on average food available for human consumption per person, the level of inequality in access to food, and the minimum calories required for an average person.
Publisher
The World Bank
Origin
Middle East & North Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)
Records
63
Source
Middle East & North Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) | Prevalence of undernourishment (% of population)
1960
1961
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1963
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1970
1971
1972
1973
1974
1975
1976
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1980
1981
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1988
1989
1990
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2001 8.74497307
2002 8.73100551
2003 8.7167197
2004 8.69983205
2005 8.56301544
2006 8.4339454
2007 8.23028413
2008 8.01022077
2009 7.77476134
2010 7.91859509
2011 8.0544515
2012 8.33202858
2013 8.3020278
2014 8.75581875
2015 9.43706348
2016 10.04284888
2017 10.49255099
2018 10.4737777
2019 10.50683894
2020 10.32631452
2021 10.64440788
2022

Middle East & North Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) | Prevalence of undernourishment (% of population)

Prevalence of undernourishments is the percentage of the population whose habitual food consumption is insufficient to provide the dietary energy levels that are required to maintain a normal active and healthy life. Data showing as 2.5 may signify a prevalence of undernourishment below 2.5%. Development relevance: Good nutrition is the cornerstone for survival, health and development. Well-nourished children perform better in school, grow into healthy adults and in turn give their children a better start in life. Well-nourished women face fewer risks during pregnancy and childbirth, and their children set off on firmer developmental paths, both physically and mentally (UNICEF www.childinfo.org). Limitations and exceptions: From a policy and program standpoint, this measure has its limits. First, food insecurity exists even where food availability is not a problem because of inadequate access of poor households to food. Second, food insecurity is an individual or household phenomenon, and the average food available to each person, even corrected for possible effects of low income, is not a good predictor of food insecurity among the population. And third, nutrition security is determined not only by food security but also by the quality of care of mothers and children and the quality of the household's health environment (Smith and Haddad 2000). Statistical concept and methodology: Data on undernourishment are from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations and measure food deprivation based on average food available for human consumption per person, the level of inequality in access to food, and the minimum calories required for an average person.
Publisher
The World Bank
Origin
Middle East & North Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)
Records
63
Source