Malnutrition: Number of children who are wasted in Cameroon
Cameroon: Malnutrition: Number of children who are wasted was 173,910 in 2018. ▲ Rising
Malnutrition: Number of children who are wasted in Cameroon, 1991–2018
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 Cameroon is 173,910, measured in 2018.
The figure is down 24.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, malnutrition: number of children who are wasted in Cameroon peaked at 229,770 in 2006 and was at its lowest, 95,920, in 1991.
That places Cameroon 36th out of 99 countries with data for 2018, putting it in the middle of the range.
Malnutrition: Number of children who are wasted in Cameroon, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 95,920 | — |
| 1998 | 178,100 | +85.7% |
| 2004 | 176,030 | -1.2% |
| 2006 | 229,770 | +30.5% |
| 2011 | 197,510 | -14.0% |
| 2014 | 191,170 | -3.2% |
| 2018 | 173,910 | -9.0% |
Cameroon compared with similar countries
- Cameroon's 173,910 is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 112,895, 1.5× the median. (38 countries reporting)
- Cameroon's 173,910 is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 175,595, 99% of the median. (34 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 137,010 | 95,920 | 178,100 | 2 |
| 2000s | 202,900 | 176,030 | 229,770 | 2 |
| 2010s | 187,530 | 173,910 | 197,510 | 3 |
Countries ranked near Cameroon
More environment data for Cameroon
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -8.11 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -7.68 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.211 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.15 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 0.6539 % 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 0.4385 % 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 Cameroon?
- Malnutrition: number of children who are wasted in Cameroon was 173,910 in 2018, 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 Cameroon?
- The highest recorded value was 229,770 in 2006.
- What is the lowest malnutrition: number of children who are wasted recorded in Cameroon?
- The lowest recorded value was 95,920 in 1991.
- How does Cameroon rank for malnutrition: number of children who are wasted?
- Cameroon ranks 36th out of 99 countries with data for 2018.
- Is malnutrition: number of children who are wasted rising or falling in Cameroon?
- Over the last ten years it is down 24.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Cameroon 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
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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.