Chapter 2 Sustainable Development Goal 2.2: Malnutrition
Key messages
- In Africa, the prevalence of stunting among children under five years of age was 30 percent in 2022, which is high despite the substantial improvement achieved during the past two decades.
- The prevalence of wasting in children in the region remained just below the global estimate of 6.8 percent in 2022 and was relatively high in all subregions except Southern Africa.
- The overall prevalence of overweight in children under five years of age in Africa was below the global estimate in 2022, although higher levels were observed in Northern Africa and Southern Africa. Since 2020, overweight levels have remained the same in most subregions.
- The prevalence of anaemia among adult women remains high in Africa, above the global estimate, and especially so in Western Africa and Central Africa.