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Hunger · Europe & Central Asia

Hunger and malnutrition in the Netherlands

1.5%of children under five stunted (2009)Very low

Under 2.5% of people in the Netherlands go without enough food. 1.5% of young children are too short for their age, a sign of long-term undernutrition, and 1.0% are dangerously thin.

under 2.5%undernourished (2024, FAO)
8.9%moderately or severely food insecure (2024)
1.5%children under 5 stunted (2009)
1.0%children under 5 wasted (2009)
1.0%children under 5 underweight (2009)
3.8%children under 5 overweight (2009)
16%children 6-59 months anaemic (2019, WHO)
4 per 1,000children who die before age five (2024)

How the Netherlands compares

In Europe & Central Asia it is 26th of 32.

Frequently asked questions

How many people are hungry in the Netherlands?

Under 2.5% of people in the Netherlands are undernourished (2024), FAO's lowest band, so hunger in the sense of too few calories is rare.

What percentage of children are stunted in the Netherlands?

1.5% of children under five in the Netherlands were stunted in 2009, which WHO rates very low. 1.0% were wasted (2009).

Sources: FAO (undernourishment, food insecurity), UNICEF/WHO/World Bank Joint Malnutrition Estimates (stunting, wasting, underweight, overweight), WHO (anaemia) and UN IGME (child deaths), as published by the World Bank.

Hunger in other countries of Europe & Central Asia

All countries