Severe wasting in children — all countries

Severe wasting in children — Lesotho

Severe wasting in children in Lesotho in 2024 — 0.2%. Ranked 2 in the world out of 6. Since 2004, the indicator has fallen by 2 pp.

2024 0.2% −0.6 pp vs 2018
World rank 2of 6
Period maximum 2.2%2004
Period minimum 0.2%2024

Trend over time

2004–2024 · % of children under 5

Severe wasting in children — Lesotho, 2004–20240123200420062008201020122014201620182020202220242004: 2.2%2009: 1.5%2014: 0.6%2018: 0.8%2024: 0.2%
Change over the period: −2 pp Annual average: -0.1 pp

Comparison, 2024

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Lesotho

Lesotho 0.2%
World 1.89%
Severe wasting in children — Lesotho, by year Lesotho All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2024 0.2 —
2018 0.8 —
2014 0.6 —
2009 1.5 —
2004 2.2 —

About the indicator

The share of children under five whose weight falls short of the WHO norm for their height by more than three standard deviations. This is a subset of wasting, its extreme degree: without treatment mortality in this group runs into the tens of percent, which is why such cases are counted as a medical emergency and are treated with special therapeutic food. The indicator is the most sensitive of the child ones: it responds to a crisis earlier than the rest.

Important: Part of the wasting indicator rather than an addition to it: the two series cannot be added. The aggregate by group is weighted by the number of children aged 0–14.

Source: Global Health Observatory (WHO), license CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO.