Pan American Health Organization

Chapter 2 Sustainable Development Goal 2.2: Malnutrition

2.2 Wasting among children under five

In Latin America and the Caribbean, the prevalence of wasting is 1.3 percent, significantly lower than the world average of 6.7 percent. Wasting is low weight for height and is one of the most critical forms of malnutrition in early childhood, associated with higher morbimortality. Of the subregions, the Caribbean has a slightly higher rate of 2.8 percent, while in South America it is 1.4 percent and in Mesoamerica it is lower than 1 percent. If these levels are maintained, the region and its subregions will be on track to reach the SDG target of maintaining wasting below 3 percent.

FIGURE 12.

Prevalence of wasting among children under five in Latin America and the Caribbean by subregion (2020)

Source: UNICEF, WHO and World Bank.
https://doi.org/10.4060/cb7497en-fig12
TABLE 7.

Prevalence of wasting among children under five (percent)

2020
World6.7
Latin America and the Caribbean1.3
Caribbean2.8
Mesoamerica0.9
South America1.4
Source: UNICEF, WHO and World Bank.

The countries that have wasting levels above 3 percent are Barbados with 6.8 percent, Trinidad and Tobago with 6.4 percent, Guyana with 6.4 percent, Suriname with 5.5 percent, Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) 4.1 percent and Ecuador 3.7 percent.

FIGURE 13.

Prevalence of wasting among children under five in Latin America and the Caribbean by country (latest year available)

Source: UNICEF, WHO and World Bank.
https://doi.org/10.4060/cb7497en-fig13