Malnutrition: Number of children who are wasted in Ecuador
Ecuador: Malnutrition: Number of children who are wasted was 9,630 in 2024. ▼ Falling
Malnutrition: Number of children who are wasted in Ecuador, 1986–2024
Source: World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2024, malnutrition: number of children who are wasted in Ecuador stood at 9,630. That is the lowest value across all 8 years on record.
The figure is down 23.8% on the previous year and down 62.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, malnutrition: number of children who are wasted in Ecuador peaked at 42,240 in 1999 and was at its lowest, 9,630, in 2024.
Ecuador ranks 82nd of 99 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
Malnutrition: Number of children who are wasted in Ecuador, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1986 | 32,120 | — |
| 1999 | 42,240 | +31.5% |
| 2004 | 31,540 | -25.3% |
| 2006 | 33,130 | +5.0% |
| 2012 | 38,870 | +17.3% |
| 2014 | 25,470 | -34.5% |
| 2023 | 12,630 | -50.4% |
| 2024 | 9,630 | -23.8% |
Ecuador compared with similar countries
- Ecuador's 9,630 is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 58,235, 17% of the median. (28 countries reporting)
- Ecuador's 9,630 is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 15,610, 62% of the median. (17 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 32,120 | 32,120 | 32,120 | 1 |
| 1990s | 42,240 | 42,240 | 42,240 | 1 |
| 2000s | 32,335 | 31,540 | 33,130 | 2 |
| 2010s | 32,170 | 25,470 | 38,870 | 2 |
| 2020s | 11,130 | 9,630 | 12,630 | 2 |
Countries ranked near Ecuador
More environment data for Ecuador
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly 0.3767 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -1.05 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.4 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.49 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 1.65 % 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 -1.14 % 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 Ecuador?
- Malnutrition: number of children who are wasted in Ecuador was 9,630 in 2024, 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 Ecuador?
- The highest recorded value was 42,240 in 1999.
- What is the lowest malnutrition: number of children who are wasted recorded in Ecuador?
- The lowest recorded value was 9,630 in 2024.
- How does Ecuador rank for malnutrition: number of children who are wasted?
- Ecuador ranks 82nd out of 99 countries with data for 2024.
- Is malnutrition: number of children who are wasted rising or falling in Ecuador?
- Over the last ten years it is down 62.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Ecuador 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 — 8 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.