Chapter 2 Sustainable Development Goal 2.2: Malnutrition
Key messages
- In Africa, the prevalence of stunting in children under five years of age has fallen gradually, but at 30.7 percent remains high, and the number of stunted children continues to rise. However, the prevalence of wasting in children in Africa remains just below the global average.
- The prevalence of overweight in children under five years of age in Africa is 5.3 percent, below the global average. However, in Northern and Southern Africa the prevalence is much higher at 13 and 12.1 percent, respectively. Despite progress over the 2000 to 2015 period, the 2015 to 2020 period has seen a rise in the prevalence of overweight in all subregions.
- About 122.7 million women of reproductive age are affected by anaemia. The prevalence has fallen over the last 10 years, but progress is much too slow to achieve the global nutrition targets.