Malnutrition: Number of children who are wasted in Mozambique
Mozambique: Malnutrition: Number of children who are wasted was 210,790 in 2022. ▼ Falling
Malnutrition: Number of children who are wasted in Mozambique, 1995–2022
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 Mozambique is 210,790, measured in 2022.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.0% on the previous year and down 18.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, malnutrition: number of children who are wasted in Mozambique peaked at 282,610 in 1997 and was at its lowest, 160,220, in 2008.
That places Mozambique 31st out of 99 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the middle of the range.
Malnutrition: Number of children who are wasted in Mozambique, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 270,660 | — |
| 1997 | 282,610 | +4.4% |
| 2001 | 266,110 | -5.8% |
| 2003 | 185,140 | -30.4% |
| 2008 | 160,220 | -13.5% |
| 2011 | 258,910 | +61.6% |
| 2015 | 208,990 | -19.3% |
| 2020 | 206,620 | -1.1% |
| 2022 | 210,790 | +2.0% |
Mozambique compared with similar countries
- Mozambique's 210,790 is below the median for low income countries, which is 229,410, 92% of the median. (21 countries reporting)
- Mozambique's 210,790 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 175,595, 1.2× the median. (34 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 276,635 | 270,660 | 282,610 | 2 |
| 2000s | 203,823 | 160,220 | 266,110 | 3 |
| 2010s | 233,950 | 208,990 | 258,910 | 2 |
| 2020s | 208,705 | 206,620 | 210,790 | 2 |
Countries ranked near Mozambique
More environment data for Mozambique
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -3.62 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -2.58 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.256 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.23 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual -2.02 % 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 0.2476 % 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 Mozambique?
- Malnutrition: number of children who are wasted in Mozambique was 210,790 in 2022, 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 Mozambique?
- The highest recorded value was 282,610 in 1997.
- What is the lowest malnutrition: number of children who are wasted recorded in Mozambique?
- The lowest recorded value was 160,220 in 2008.
- How does Mozambique rank for malnutrition: number of children who are wasted?
- Mozambique ranks 31st out of 99 countries with data for 2022.
- Is malnutrition: number of children who are wasted rising or falling in Mozambique?
- Over the last ten years it is down 18.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Mozambique 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 — 9 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.