Malnutrition: Number of children who are wasted in India
India: Malnutrition: Number of children who are wasted was 22.17 million in 2020. ▼ Falling
Malnutrition: Number of children who are wasted in India, 1989–2020
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 India is 22.17 million, measured in 2020.
That represents a change of up 7.7% on the previous year and down 16.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, malnutrition: number of children who are wasted in India peaked at 26.69 million in 2006 and was at its lowest, 19.03 million, in 2014.
That places India 1st out of 99 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 10 years of available data.
Malnutrition: Number of children who are wasted in India, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 24.99 million | — |
| 1991 | 25.06 million | +0.3% |
| 1992 | 24.98 million | -0.3% |
| 1997 | 23.87 million | -4.4% |
| 1999 | 23.46 million | -1.7% |
| 2006 | 26.69 million | +13.7% |
| 2014 | 19.03 million | -28.7% |
| 2015 | 25.89 million | +36.0% |
| 2017 | 20.59 million | -20.5% |
| 2020 | 22.17 million | +7.7% |
India compared with similar countries
- India's 22.17 million is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 112,895, 196.4× the median. (38 countries reporting)
- India's 22.17 million is above the median for South Asia, which is 173,615, 127.7× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 24.99 million | 24.99 million | 24.99 million | 1 |
| 1990s | 24.34 million | 23.46 million | 25.06 million | 4 |
| 2000s | 26.69 million | 26.69 million | 26.69 million | 1 |
| 2010s | 21.84 million | 19.03 million | 25.89 million | 3 |
| 2020s | 22.17 million | 22.17 million | 22.17 million | 1 |
Countries ranked near India
More environment data for India
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly 11.05 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly 12.52 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.254 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 0.954 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 3.92 % 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 1.12 % 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 India?
- Malnutrition: number of children who are wasted in India was 22.17 million in 2020, 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 India?
- The highest recorded value was 26.69 million in 2006.
- What is the lowest malnutrition: number of children who are wasted recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 19.03 million in 2014.
- How does India rank for malnutrition: number of children who are wasted?
- India ranks 1st out of 99 countries with data for 2020.
- Is malnutrition: number of children who are wasted rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is down 16.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this India 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 — 10 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.