Malnutrition: Number of children who are wasted in United States
United States: Malnutrition: Number of children who are wasted was 18,790 in 2022. ◆ Volatile
Malnutrition: Number of children who are wasted in United States, 1991–2022
Source: World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2022, malnutrition: number of children who are wasted in United States stood at 18,790. That is the lowest value across all 12 years on record.
That represents a change of down 69.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, malnutrition: number of children who are wasted in United States peaked at 180,240 in 2006 and was at its lowest, 18,790, in 2022.
That places United States 74th out of 99 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Malnutrition: Number of children who are wasted in United States, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 98,320 | — |
| 2000 | 95,270 | -3.1% |
| 2002 | 58,110 | -39.0% |
| 2004 | 138,030 | +137.5% |
| 2006 | 180,240 | +30.6% |
| 2008 | 123,360 | -31.6% |
| 2010 | 20,710 | -83.2% |
| 2012 | 61,150 | +195.3% |
| 2014 | 60,040 | -1.8% |
| 2016 | 79,980 | +33.2% |
| 2018 | 19,890 | -75.1% |
| 2022 | 18,790 | -5.5% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 18,790 is above the median for high income countries, which is 12,420, 1.5× the median. (12 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 98,320 | 98,320 | 98,320 | 1 |
| 2000s | 119,002 | 58,110 | 180,240 | 5 |
| 2010s | 48,354 | 19,890 | 79,980 | 5 |
| 2020s | 18,790 | 18,790 | 18,790 | 1 |
Countries ranked near United States
More environment data for United States
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -2.64 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -2.16 Percentage change (2025)
- Wood-based panels — Production, annual growth rate 3.36 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 0.3672 % 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 -0.624 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of GDP 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e), annual 0.1269 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is malnutrition: number of children who are wasted in United States?
- Malnutrition: number of children who are wasted in United States was 18,790 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 United States?
- The highest recorded value was 180,240 in 2006.
- What is the lowest malnutrition: number of children who are wasted recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 18,790 in 2022.
- How does United States rank for malnutrition: number of children who are wasted?
- United States ranks 74th out of 99 countries with data for 2022.
- Is malnutrition: number of children who are wasted rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is down 69.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this United States 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 — 12 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.