Malnutrition: Number of children who are wasted in Benin
Benin: Malnutrition: Number of children who are wasted was 177,280 in 2021. ▼ Falling
Malnutrition: Number of children who are wasted in Benin, 1996–2021
Source: World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for malnutrition: number of children who are wasted in Benin is 177,280, measured in 2021. That is the highest value across all 6 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 72.0% on the previous year and up 117.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, malnutrition: number of children who are wasted in Benin peaked at 177,280 in 2021 and was at its lowest, 81,650, in 2008.
That places Benin 34th out of 99 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the middle of the range.
Malnutrition: Number of children who are wasted in Benin, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 175,500 | — |
| 2001 | 118,630 | -32.4% |
| 2008 | 81,650 | -31.2% |
| 2014 | 84,250 | +3.2% |
| 2018 | 103,090 | +22.4% |
| 2021 | 177,280 | +72.0% |
Benin compared with similar countries
- Benin's 177,280 is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 112,895, 1.6× the median. (38 countries reporting)
- Benin's 177,280 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 175,595, 1.0× the median. (34 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 175,500 | 175,500 | 175,500 | 1 |
| 2000s | 100,140 | 81,650 | 118,630 | 2 |
| 2010s | 93,670 | 84,250 | 103,090 | 2 |
| 2020s | 177,280 | 177,280 | 177,280 | 1 |
Countries ranked near Benin
More environment data for Benin
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -9.6 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -10.11 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.268 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.29 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 2.38 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per unit 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), annual growth rate 2.92 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of GDP 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is malnutrition: number of children who are wasted in Benin?
- Malnutrition: number of children who are wasted in Benin was 177,280 in 2021, according to World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest malnutrition: number of children who are wasted recorded in Benin?
- The highest recorded value was 177,280 in 2021.
- What is the lowest malnutrition: number of children who are wasted recorded in Benin?
- The lowest recorded value was 81,650 in 2008.
- How does Benin rank for malnutrition: number of children who are wasted?
- Benin ranks 34th out of 99 countries with data for 2021.
- Is malnutrition: number of children who are wasted rising or falling in Benin?
- Over the last ten years it is up 117.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Benin data come from?
- The figures come from World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Malnutrition: Number of children who are wasted. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 6 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Estimated number of children younger than five who are '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.