Malnutrition: Number of children who are wasted in Guatemala
Guatemala: Malnutrition: Number of children who are wasted was 15,610 in 2021. ◆ Volatile
Malnutrition: Number of children who are wasted in Guatemala, 1987–2021
Source: World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
Analysis
Guatemala recorded 15,610 for malnutrition: number of children who are wasted in 2021. That is the lowest value across all 8 years on record.
The figure is down 19.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, malnutrition: number of children who are wasted in Guatemala peaked at 69,650 in 2000 and was at its lowest, 15,610, in 2021.
That places Guatemala 76th out of 99 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the bottom quarter.
Malnutrition: Number of children who are wasted in Guatemala, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1987 | 35,380 | — |
| 1995 | 66,540 | +88.1% |
| 1999 | 54,030 | -18.8% |
| 2000 | 69,650 | +28.9% |
| 2002 | 36,410 | -47.7% |
| 2009 | 19,300 | -47.0% |
| 2015 | 15,930 | -17.5% |
| 2021 | 15,610 | -2.0% |
Guatemala compared with similar countries
- Guatemala's 15,610 is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 58,235, 27% of the median. (28 countries reporting)
- Guatemala's 15,610 is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 15,610, 1.0× the median. (17 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 35,380 | 35,380 | 35,380 | 1 |
| 1990s | 60,285 | 54,030 | 66,540 | 2 |
| 2000s | 41,787 | 19,300 | 69,650 | 3 |
| 2010s | 15,930 | 15,930 | 15,930 | 1 |
| 2020s | 15,610 | 15,610 | 15,610 | 1 |
Countries ranked near Guatemala
- 73 Gambia 19,160 compare
- 74 United States 18,790 compare
- 75 Peru 16,150 compare
- 77 United Kingdom 15,530 compare
- 78 Nicaragua 14,860 compare
- 79 El Salvador 14,670 compare
More environment data for Guatemala
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -4.45 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -5.02 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.273 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.47 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 1.11 % 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 % 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 Guatemala?
- Malnutrition: number of children who are wasted in Guatemala was 15,610 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 Guatemala?
- The highest recorded value was 69,650 in 2000.
- What is the lowest malnutrition: number of children who are wasted recorded in Guatemala?
- The lowest recorded value was 15,610 in 2021.
- How does Guatemala rank for malnutrition: number of children who are wasted?
- Guatemala ranks 76th out of 99 countries with data for 2021.
- Is malnutrition: number of children who are wasted rising or falling in Guatemala?
- Over the last ten years it is down 19.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Guatemala 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.