Percentage of children under 5 years affected by wasting (percent) in India
India: Percentage of children under 5 years affected by wasting (percent) was 18.7 % in 2020. ▼ Falling
Percentage of children under 5 years affected by wasting (percent) in India, 2006–2020
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2020, percentage of children under 5 years affected by wasting (percent) in India stood at 18.7 %.
That represents a change of up 10.7% on the previous year and down 6.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, percentage of children under 5 years affected by wasting (percent) in India peaked at 20.8 % in 2015 and was at its lowest, 15.1 %, in 2014.
India ranks 1st of 69 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
Percentage of children under 5 years affected by wasting (percent) in India, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 20 % | — |
| 2014 | 15.1 % | -24.5% |
| 2015 | 20.8 % | +37.7% |
| 2017 | 16.9 % | -18.8% |
| 2020 | 18.7 % | +10.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 20 % | 20 % | 20 % | 1 |
| 2010s | 17.6 % | 15.1 % | 20.8 % | 3 |
| 2020s | 18.7 % | 18.7 % | 18.7 % | 1 |
Countries ranked near India
- 1 Lao People's Democratic Republic 10.7 % compare
- 2 Yemen 16.8 % compare
- 3 Mauritania 13.6 % compare
- 3 Timor-Leste 8.3 % compare
- 4 Democratic Republic of the Congo 7.2 % compare
- 4 Nigeria 11.6 % compare
More agriculture & rural data for India
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual -2.83 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.1623 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 438.73 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.4067 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0002 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.6431 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 16.2% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 16.2% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.9% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.5% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is percentage of children under 5 years affected by wasting (percent) in India?
- Percentage of children under 5 years affected by wasting (percent) in India was 18.7 % in 2020, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
- What is the highest percentage of children under 5 years affected by wasting (percent) recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 20.8 % in 2015.
- What is the lowest percentage of children under 5 years affected by wasting (percent) recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 15.1 % in 2014.
- How does India rank for percentage of children under 5 years affected by wasting (percent)?
- India ranks 1st out of 69 countries with data for 2020.
- Is percentage of children under 5 years affected by wasting (percent) rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is down 6.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this India data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, published as part of Percentage of children under 5 years affected by wasting (percent) — Value. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The Suite of Food Security Indicators presents the core set of food security indicators. Following the recommendation of experts gathered in the Committee on World Food Security (CFS) Round Table on hunger measurement, hosted at FAO headquarters in September 2011, an initial set of indicators aiming to capture various aspects of food insecurity is presented here. The choice of the indicators has been informed by expert judgement and the availability of data with sufficient coverage to enable comparisons across regions and over time. Many of these indicators are produced and published elsewhere by FAO and other international organizations. They are reported here in a single database with the aim of building a wide food security information system. More indicators will be added to this set as more data will become available. Indicators are classified along the four dimensions of food security -- availability, access, utilization and stability.