Malnutrition: Number of children who are wasted in Mozambique

Mozambique: Malnutrition: Number of children who are wasted was 210,790 in 2022. ▼ Falling

Latest (2022)
210,790
Change on year
up 2.0%
World rank
31st
of 99 countries
All-time high
282,610
in 1997
All-time low
160,220
in 2008
Years of data
9
1995–2022

Malnutrition: Number of children who are wasted in Mozambique, 1995–2022

0100.0k200.0k300.0k1995200820221995: 270.7k1997: 282.6k2001: 266.1k2003: 185.1k2008: 160.2k2011: 258.9k2015: 209.0k2020: 206.6k2022: 210.8k

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.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest 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

  1. 28 Russia 232,140 compare
  2. 29 Thailand 229,510 compare
  3. 30 Mali 229,410 compare
  4. 32 South Africa 203,910 compare
  5. 33 Nepal 196,430 compare
  6. 34 Benin 177,280 compare

See the full ranking of 99 places →

More environment data for Mozambique

All data for Mozambique →

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.

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About this data

Indicator
Malnutrition: Number of children who are wasted
Source
World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
99 places, 962 data points, 1985–2024
Last refreshed

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.