Malnutrition: Number of children who are wasted in Pakistan
Pakistan: Malnutrition: Number of children who are wasted was 2.19 million in 2018. ▼ Falling
Malnutrition: Number of children who are wasted in Pakistan, 1986–2018
Source: World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
Analysis
Pakistan recorded 2.19 million for malnutrition: number of children who are wasted in 2018. That is the lowest value across all 7 years on record.
The figure is down 50.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, malnutrition: number of children who are wasted in Pakistan peaked at 4.40 million in 2011 and was at its lowest, 2.19 million, in 2018.
Pakistan ranks 3rd of 99 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
Malnutrition: Number of children who are wasted in Pakistan, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1986 | 4.35 million | — |
| 1991 | 2.65 million | -39.2% |
| 1992 | 3.74 million | +41.2% |
| 2001 | 3.53 million | -5.5% |
| 2011 | 4.40 million | +24.6% |
| 2013 | 3.21 million | -27.1% |
| 2018 | 2.19 million | -31.9% |
Pakistan compared with similar countries
- Pakistan's 2.19 million is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 112,895, 19.4× the median. (38 countries reporting)
- Pakistan's 2.19 million is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 121,805, 17.9× the median. (16 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 4.35 million | 4.35 million | 4.35 million | 1 |
| 1990s | 3.19 million | 2.65 million | 3.74 million | 2 |
| 2000s | 3.53 million | 3.53 million | 3.53 million | 1 |
| 2010s | 3.27 million | 2.19 million | 4.40 million | 3 |
Countries ranked near Pakistan
More environment data for Pakistan
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -10.53 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -7.64 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.373 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.58 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 0.7034 % 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 3.1 % 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 Pakistan?
- Malnutrition: number of children who are wasted in Pakistan was 2.19 million in 2018, 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 Pakistan?
- The highest recorded value was 4.40 million in 2011.
- What is the lowest malnutrition: number of children who are wasted recorded in Pakistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.19 million in 2018.
- How does Pakistan rank for malnutrition: number of children who are wasted?
- Pakistan ranks 3rd out of 99 countries with data for 2018.
- Is malnutrition: number of children who are wasted rising or falling in Pakistan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 50.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Pakistan 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 — 7 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.