Chapter 2 Target 2.2 of the Sustainable Development Goals: malnutrition

2.2 Wasting among children under 5 years of age

The prevalence of wasting among children under 5 years of age in the Arab States in 2024 (6.5 percent) was around the world estimate (6.6 percent). Among income groups in the region, low-income countries had the highest prevalence (8.3 percent) and upper-middle income countries the lowest (4.3 percent).

TABLE 8.

Prevalence of wasting among children under 5 years of age (percent)

2024
World6.6
Arab States6.5
Low-income countries8.3
Lower-middle-income countries6.4
Upper-middle-income countries4.3
High-income countries4.4
Note: The country income groups refer to countries of the Arab States (see Annex IV).
Source: Based on UNICEF, WHO & World Bank. 2025. Levels and trends in child malnutrition: UNICEF/WHO/World Bank Group Joint Child Malnutrition Estimates. Key findings of the 2025 edition. New York, USA, Geneva, Switzerland and Washington, DC. [Cited 4 April 2025]. https://data.unicef.org/resources/JME
FIGURE 12.

Prevalence of wasting among children under 5 years of age in the Arab States by country income group and country (latest year available from 2017 to 2024)

Notes: The data for Palestine refer to 2020 and reflect a situation before the 2023 conflict erupted. The country income groups refer to countries of the Arab States (see Annex IV).
Source: Based on UNICEF, WHO & World Bank. 2025. Levels and trends in child malnutrition: UNICEF/WHO/World Bank Group Joint Child Malnutrition Estimates. Key findings of the 2025 edition. New York, USA, Geneva, Switzerland and Washington, DC. [Cited 4 April 2025]. https://data.unicef.org/resources/JME
Download: https://doi.org/10.4060/cd7552en-fig12

Among the low-and lower-middle income countries, the latest prevalence of wasting among children under 5 years of age was 16.8 percent in Yemen, 13.6 percent in Mauritania and 12.1 percent in Djibouti. Arab countries, in general, are not on track to meet the WHA 2030 target to reduce and maintain wasting in children under five years of age to less than 5 percent (WHO, 2025), except for a few countries, such as Qatar.