Prevalence of undernourishment in Central America
Central America: Prevalence of undernourishment was 5.0% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Prevalence of undernourishment in Central America, 2000–2024
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
Analysis
Central America recorded 5.0% for prevalence of undernourishment in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
The figure is down 20.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of undernourishment in Central America peaked at 7.8% in 2004 and was at its lowest, 5.0%, in 2023.
Central America ranks 19th of 27 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.
Prevalence of undernourishment in Central America, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 7.5% | — |
| 2001 | 6.8% | -9.3% |
| 2002 | 6.6% | -2.9% |
| 2003 | 7.2% | +9.1% |
| 2004 | 7.8% | +8.3% |
| 2005 | 7.3% | -6.4% |
| 2006 | 6.5% | -11.0% |
| 2007 | 6.4% | -1.5% |
| 2008 | 7.1% | +10.9% |
| 2009 | 6.8% | -4.2% |
| 2010 | 6.3% | -7.4% |
| 2011 | 6.2% | -1.6% |
| 2012 | 6.0% | -3.2% |
| 2013 | 6.3% | +5.0% |
| 2014 | 6.3% | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 6.2% | -1.6% |
| 2016 | 5.8% | -6.5% |
| 2017 | 5.8% | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 5.8% | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 5.4% | -6.9% |
| 2020 | 5.5% | +1.9% |
| 2021 | 5.3% | -3.6% |
| 2022 | 5.1% | -3.8% |
| 2023 | 5.0% | -2.0% |
| 2024 | 5.0% | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 7.0% | 6.4% | 7.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.0% | 5.4% | 6.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.2% | 5.0% | 5.5% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Central America
- 16 Angola 22.5% compare
- 17 Guinea-Bissau 22.1% compare
- 18 Uganda 22.0% compare
- 19 Mozambique 21.8% compare
- 20 Malawi 21.4% compare
- 21 Solomon Islands 20.0% compare
- 22 Nigeria 19.9% compare
More development goals data for Central America
- Number of refugees per 100,000 population, by country of origin 149.3 (2025)
- Manufacturing value added per capita 1,656 (2025)
- Number of transboundary breeds 161 (2025)
- Number of transboundary breeds (not extinct) 161 (2025)
- Number of transboundary breeds with unknown risk status 105 (2025)
- Number of local breeds with unknown risk status 104 (2025)
- Number of local breeds (not extinct) 115 (2025)
- Number of local breeds kept in the country 117 (2025)
- Alcohol consumption per capita (aged 15 years and older) within a 5.91 (2024)
- Children moderately or severely stunted 2,588 (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is prevalence of undernourishment in Central America?
- Prevalence of undernourishment in Central America was 5.0% in 2024, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest prevalence of undernourishment recorded in Central America?
- The highest recorded value was 7.8% in 2004.
- What is the lowest prevalence of undernourishment recorded in Central America?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.0% in 2023.
- How does Central America rank for prevalence of undernourishment?
- Central America ranks 19th out of 27 groups with data for 2024.
- Is prevalence of undernourishment rising or falling in Central America?
- Over the last ten years it is down 20.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Central America data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Prevalence of undernourishment (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 25 observations, free to reuse under UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested).