Malnutrition: Number of children who are wasted in Thailand
Thailand: Malnutrition: Number of children who are wasted was 229,510 in 2022. ▼ Falling
Malnutrition: Number of children who are wasted in Thailand, 1987–2022
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 Thailand is 229,510, measured in 2022.
That represents a change of down 15.2% on the previous year and down 17.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, malnutrition: number of children who are wasted in Thailand peaked at 378,570 in 1993 and was at its lowest, 209,100, in 2016.
Thailand ranks 29th of 99 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Malnutrition: Number of children who are wasted in Thailand, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1987 | 324,890 | — |
| 1993 | 378,570 | +16.5% |
| 1995 | 343,680 | -9.2% |
| 2006 | 211,840 | -38.4% |
| 2012 | 276,640 | +30.6% |
| 2016 | 209,100 | -24.4% |
| 2019 | 270,780 | +29.5% |
| 2022 | 229,510 | -15.2% |
Thailand compared with similar countries
- Thailand's 229,510 is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 58,235, 3.9× the median. (28 countries reporting)
- Thailand's 229,510 is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 229,510, 1.0× the median. (13 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 324,890 | 324,890 | 324,890 | 1 |
| 1990s | 361,125 | 343,680 | 378,570 | 2 |
| 2000s | 211,840 | 211,840 | 211,840 | 1 |
| 2010s | 252,173 | 209,100 | 276,640 | 3 |
| 2020s | 229,510 | 229,510 | 229,510 | 1 |
Countries ranked near Thailand
- 26 Ghana 243,860 compare
- 27 Afghanistan 237,170 compare
- 28 Russia 232,140 compare
- 30 Mali 229,410 compare
- 31 Mozambique 210,790 compare
- 32 South Africa 203,910 compare
More environment data for Thailand
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly 1.44 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly 1.54 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.306 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.01 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 2.85 % 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 0.1009 % 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 Thailand?
- Malnutrition: number of children who are wasted in Thailand was 229,510 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 Thailand?
- The highest recorded value was 378,570 in 1993.
- What is the lowest malnutrition: number of children who are wasted recorded in Thailand?
- The lowest recorded value was 209,100 in 2016.
- How does Thailand rank for malnutrition: number of children who are wasted?
- Thailand ranks 29th out of 99 countries with data for 2022.
- Is malnutrition: number of children who are wasted rising or falling in Thailand?
- Over the last ten years it is down 17.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Thailand 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 — 8 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.