Prevalence of undernourishment (%) in Kenya
Kenya: Prevalence of undernourishment (%) was 34.9% in 2024. ▬ Flat
Latest (2024)
34.9%
Change on year
down 4.1%
World rank
10th
of 140 countries
All-time high
36.4%
in 2023
All-time low
19.4%
in 2013
Years of data
24
2001–2024
Prevalence of undernourishment in Kenya, 2001–2024
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
Analysis
Kenya recorded 34.9% for prevalence of undernourishment in 2024.
The figure is down 4.1% on the previous year and up 79.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of undernourishment in Kenya peaked at 36.4% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 19.4%, in 2013.
That places Kenya 10th out of 140 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
Prevalence of undernourishment (%) in Kenya, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 31.8% | — |
| 2002 | 33.3% | +4.7% |
| 2003 | 34.5% | +3.6% |
| 2004 | 31.7% | -8.1% |
| 2005 | 28.2% | -11.0% |
| 2006 | 26.1% | -7.4% |
| 2007 | 27.1% | +3.8% |
| 2008 | 27.2% | +0.4% |
| 2009 | 24.9% | -8.5% |
| 2010 | 22.3% | -10.4% |
| 2011 | 20.6% | -7.6% |
| 2012 | 19.9% | -3.4% |
| 2013 | 19.4% | -2.5% |
| 2014 | 19.4% | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 21.2% | +9.3% |
| 2016 | 23.0% | +8.5% |
| 2017 | 24.8% | +7.8% |
| 2018 | 24.6% | -0.8% |
| 2019 | 25.8% | +4.9% |
| 2020 | 28.8% | +11.6% |
| 2021 | 33.4% | +16.0% |
| 2022 | 36.2% | +8.4% |
| 2023 | 36.4% | +0.6% |
| 2024 | 34.9% | -4.1% |
Kenya compared with similar countries
- Kenya's 34.9% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 11.1%, 3.1× the median. (41 countries reporting)
- Kenya's 34.9% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 18.4%, 1.9× the median. (41 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 29.4% | 24.9% | 34.5% | 9 |
| 2010s | 22.1% | 19.4% | 25.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 33.9% | 28.8% | 36.4% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Kenya
- 8 Democratic Republic of the Congo 39.5% compare
- 9 Liberia 37.3% compare
- 11 Chad 33.6% compare
- 12 Papua New Guinea 30.5% compare
- 13 Central African Republic 29.8% compare
More development goals data for Kenya
- Red List Index 0.8338 (2025)
- Number of refugees per 100,000 population, by country of origin 21.09 (2025)
- Manufacturing value added per capita 158.85 (2025)
- Number of transboundary breeds 56 (2025)
- Number of transboundary breeds (not extinct) 56 (2025)
- Number of transboundary breeds with unknown risk status 51 (2025)
- Number of local breeds with unknown risk status 30 (2025)
- Number of local breeds (not extinct) 32 (2025)
- Number of local breeds kept in the country 32 (2025)
- Infant deaths 51,310 (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is prevalence of undernourishment in Kenya?
- Prevalence of undernourishment in Kenya was 34.9% in 2024, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest prevalence of undernourishment recorded in Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 36.4% in 2023.
- What is the lowest prevalence of undernourishment recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 19.4% in 2013.
- How does Kenya rank for prevalence of undernourishment?
- Kenya ranks 10th out of 140 countries with data for 2024.
- Is prevalence of undernourishment rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is up 79.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Kenya 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 — 24 observations, free to reuse under UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested).