South Asia (IDA & IBRD) | 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
South Asia (IDA & IBRD)
Records
63
Source
South Asia (IDA & IBRD) | Prevalence of undernourishment (% of population)
1960
1961
1962
1963
1964
1965
1966
1967
1968
1969
1970
1971
1972
1973
1974
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1976
1977
1978
1979
1980
1981
1982
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1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
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1994
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2001 18.79285713
2002 19.93519852
2003 20.84061087
2004 20.93712937
2005 20.24551304
2006 18.5052379
2007 16.69839787
2008 15.81805917
2009 15.74487283
2010 15.54123468
2011 15.35880519
2012 14.88693855
2013 14.58622885
2014 14.25879614
2015 13.80538041
2016 13.30337382
2017 12.71619226
2018 12.83005767
2019 14.02542199
2020 15.51976734
2021 16.32626107
2022

South Asia (IDA & IBRD) | 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
South Asia (IDA & IBRD)
Records
63
Source