Severe wasting in children — all countries

Severe wasting in children — United States

Severe wasting in children in the United States in 2018 — 0%. Ranked 1 in the world out of 48. Since 1991, the indicator has fallen by 0.1 pp.

2018 0% −0.1 pp vs 2016
World rank 1of 48
Period maximum 0.2%2006
Period minimum 0%2002

Trend over time

1991–2018 · % of children under 5

Severe wasting in children — United States, 1991–201800.050.10.150.219911994199720002003200620092012201520181991: 0.1%2000: 0.1%2002: 0%2004: 0%2006: 0.2%2008: 0.1%2010: 0%2012: 0%2014: 0%2016: 0.1%2018: 0%
Change over the period: −0.1 pp Annual average: 0 pp

Comparison, 2018

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

United States 0%
World 1.97%
Severe wasting in children — United States, by year United States All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2018 0 —
2016 0.1 —
2014 0 —
2012 0 —
2010 0 —
2008 0.1 —
2006 0.2 —
2004 0 —
2002 0 —
2000 0.1 —
1991 0.1 —

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.