Severe wasting in children — all countries

Severe wasting in children — South Korea

Severe wasting in children in South Korea in 2020 — 0.1%. Ranked 1 in the world out of 25. Since 2003, the indicator has fallen by 0.1 pp.

2020 0.1% +0 pp vs 2017
World rank 1of 25
Period maximum 0.2%2003
Period minimum 0.1%2008

Trend over time

2003–2020 · % of children under 5

Severe wasting in children — South Korea, 2003–20200.10.130.150.180.220032005200720092011201320152017201920202003: 0.2%2008: 0.1%2011: 0.1%2014: 0.1%2017: 0.1%2020: 0.1%
Change over the period: −0.1 pp Annual average: -0.01 pp

Comparison, 2020

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

South Korea 0.1%
World 1.93%
Severe wasting in children — South Korea, by year South Korea All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2020 0.1 —
2017 0.1 —
2014 0.1 —
2011 0.1 —
2008 0.1 —
2003 0.2 —

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.