Prevalence of undernourishment (%) in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone: Prevalence of undernourishment (%) was 25.3% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Prevalence of undernourishment in Sierra Leone, 2001–2024
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
Analysis
The most recent figure for prevalence of undernourishment in Sierra Leone is 25.3%, measured in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 4.2% on the previous year and up 11.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of undernourishment in Sierra Leone peaked at 50.0% in 2001 and was at its lowest, 21.0%, in 2011.
That places Sierra Leone 17th out of 140 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 24 years of available data.
Prevalence of undernourishment (%) in Sierra Leone, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 50.0% | — |
| 2002 | 49.2% | -1.6% |
| 2003 | 46.9% | -4.7% |
| 2004 | 44.2% | -5.8% |
| 2005 | 39.8% | -10.0% |
| 2006 | 35.5% | -10.8% |
| 2007 | 31.2% | -12.1% |
| 2008 | 27.3% | -12.5% |
| 2009 | 24.0% | -12.1% |
| 2010 | 21.7% | -9.6% |
| 2011 | 21.0% | -3.2% |
| 2012 | 21.1% | +0.5% |
| 2013 | 22.5% | +6.6% |
| 2014 | 22.8% | +1.3% |
| 2015 | 24.6% | +7.9% |
| 2016 | 25.1% | +2.0% |
| 2017 | 26.9% | +7.2% |
| 2018 | 27.9% | +3.7% |
| 2019 | 28.7% | +2.9% |
| 2020 | 27.8% | -3.1% |
| 2021 | 26.5% | -4.7% |
| 2022 | 26.0% | -1.9% |
| 2023 | 26.4% | +1.5% |
| 2024 | 25.3% | -4.2% |
Sierra Leone compared with similar countries
- Sierra Leone's 25.3% is above the median for low income countries, which is 22.5%, 1.1× the median. (20 countries reporting)
- Sierra Leone's 25.3% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 18.4%, 1.4× the median. (41 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 38.7% | 24.0% | 50.0% | 9 |
| 2010s | 24.2% | 21.0% | 28.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 26.4% | 25.3% | 27.8% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Sierra Leone
More development goals data for Sierra Leone
- Red List Index 0.9225 (2025)
- Number of refugees per 100,000 population, by country of origin 94.32 (2025)
- Manufacturing value added per capita 61.77 (2025)
- Number of transboundary breeds 14 (2025)
- Number of transboundary breeds (not extinct) 14 (2025)
- Number of transboundary breeds with unknown risk status 14 (2025)
- Infant deaths 14,038 (2024)
- Neonatal deaths 7,350 (2024)
- Alcohol consumption per capita (aged 15 years and older) within a 0.2439 (2024)
- Under-five deaths 23,171 (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is prevalence of undernourishment in Sierra Leone?
- Prevalence of undernourishment in Sierra Leone was 25.3% in 2024, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest prevalence of undernourishment recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The highest recorded value was 50.0% in 2001.
- What is the lowest prevalence of undernourishment recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The lowest recorded value was 21.0% in 2011.
- How does Sierra Leone rank for prevalence of undernourishment?
- Sierra Leone ranks 17th out of 140 countries with data for 2024.
- Is prevalence of undernourishment rising or falling in Sierra Leone?
- Over the last ten years it is up 11.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sierra Leone 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).