Malnutrition: Number of children who are wasted in Colombia
Colombia: Malnutrition: Number of children who are wasted was 56,070 in 2016. ◆ Volatile
Malnutrition: Number of children who are wasted in Colombia, 1986–2016
Source: World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2016, malnutrition: number of children who are wasted in Colombia stood at 56,070.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 16.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, malnutrition: number of children who are wasted in Colombia peaked at 152,200 in 1988 and was at its lowest, 35,080, in 2010.
Colombia ranks 58th of 99 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Malnutrition: Number of children who are wasted in Colombia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1986 | 51,680 | — |
| 1988 | 152,200 | +194.5% |
| 1995 | 74,150 | -51.3% |
| 2000 | 43,220 | -41.7% |
| 2005 | 66,810 | +54.6% |
| 2010 | 35,080 | -47.5% |
| 2016 | 56,070 | +59.8% |
Colombia compared with similar countries
- Colombia's 56,070 is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 58,235, 96% of the median. (28 countries reporting)
- Colombia's 56,070 is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 15,610, 3.6× the median. (17 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 101,940 | 51,680 | 152,200 | 2 |
| 1990s | 74,150 | 74,150 | 74,150 | 1 |
| 2000s | 55,015 | 43,220 | 66,810 | 2 |
| 2010s | 45,575 | 35,080 | 56,070 | 2 |
Countries ranked near Colombia
- 55 Togo 70,720 compare
- 56 Haiti 61,780 compare
- 57 Kazakhstan 60,400 compare
- 59 Central African Republic 48,600 compare
- 60 North Korea 41,930 compare
- 61 Romania 38,900 compare
More environment data for Colombia
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly 0.4233 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly 0.2774 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.267 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.59 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 0.9788 % 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 0.2077 % 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 Colombia?
- Malnutrition: number of children who are wasted in Colombia was 56,070 in 2016, 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 Colombia?
- The highest recorded value was 152,200 in 1988.
- What is the lowest malnutrition: number of children who are wasted recorded in Colombia?
- The lowest recorded value was 35,080 in 2010.
- How does Colombia rank for malnutrition: number of children who are wasted?
- Colombia ranks 58th out of 99 countries with data for 2016.
- Is malnutrition: number of children who are wasted rising or falling in Colombia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 16.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Colombia 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 — 7 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.