Wasting refers to a form of malnutrition where a child's weight is too low for their height. Wasting is the result of recent rapid weight loss or failure to gain weight. This is a life-threatening condition and is caused by insufficient intake or malabsorption of energy and nutrients, and/or frequent or prolonged illness. A wasted child is at increased risk of death, but treatment is possible (WHO, UNICEF & WFP, 2014; FAO, IFAD, UNICEF, WFP and WHO, 2018).
In 2022, the prevalence of wasting in Latin America and the Caribbean was 1.4 percent, which was significantly lower than the world estimate of 6.8 percent (FIGURE 12 and TABLE 9). At a subregional level, the Caribbean had a slightly higher prevalence at 2.9 percent, followed by South America at 1.4 percent, and finally Mesoamerica at 1 percent. It is worth noting that all subregions are below the world estimate.
| 2022 | |
| World | 6.8 |
| Latin America and the Caribbean | 1.4 |
| Caribbean | 2.9 |
| Mesoamerica | 1.0 |
| South America | 1.4 |
FIGURE 13 shows the prevalence of wasting for a series of countries in the region during the latest year available.8 All three subregions, and most countries, are on track to reach the WHA 2025 and SDG 2030 targets, which aim to maintain wasting levels among children under 5 years of age below 5 and 3 percent, respectively. 8 See Table 23 in Annex I.
However, some countries in the region still register a prevalence that is above these targets. In particular, Guyana has a prevalence of 6.5 percent, followed by Suriname (5.5 percent), Ecuador and Haiti (both 3.7 percent), while Jamaica and Brazil show a prevalence of 3.2 and 3.1 percent, respectively.
