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Hunger · Lesotho

Child malnutrition in Maseru

39%of children under five stunted (2023 survey)Very high

Maseru ranks 5th of 10 parts of Lesotho for child stunting, above Lesotho's 36%.

1.5%children under 5 wasted; Lesotho 1.7%
14%children under 5 underweight; Lesotho 13%
59%children 6-59 months anaemic; Lesotho 56%

Child stunting across Lesotho

The same 2023 survey, every part it reports.

  1. 1Qasha's Nek48%
  2. 2Thaba-Tseka46%
  3. 3Mohale's Hoek45%
  4. 4Quthing39%
  5. 5Maseru39%
  6. 6Mokhotlong38%
  7. 7Mafeteng36%
  8. 8Butha-Buthe32%
  9. 9Berea31%
  10. 10Leribe26%

Frequently asked questions

What is the child malnutrition rate in Maseru?

In Lesotho's 2023 Demographic and Health Survey, 39% of children under five in Maseru were stunted (too short for their age), 1.5% wasted and 14% underweight.

Is malnutrition in Maseru worse than in the rest of Lesotho?

Maseru ranks 5th of 10 for stunting in the survey, highest first, above Lesotho's 36%.

How many children are anaemic in Maseru?

59% of children aged 6 to 59 months in Maseru had anaemia in 2023, above Lesotho's 56%; WHO counts 40% or more as a severe public health problem.

Is there data for cities and towns in Maseru?

The survey reports Lesotho by region, not by city, so a town or neighbourhood in Maseru shares these figures. Local clinics and nutrition programmes keep their own records.

Source: Lesotho Demographic and Health Survey 2023 (LS2023DHS), via The DHS Program, STATcompiler. Survey estimates for small regions carry wide margins; read differences of a few points as similar.

Hunger in Lesotho as a whole

Undernourishment, food insecurity, the Global Hunger Index and the UN's latest estimates for the country.

Hunger in Lesotho