This table provides metadata for the actual indicator available from Moldovan statistics closest to the corresponding global SDG indicator. Please note that even when the global SDG indicator is fully available, this table should be consulted for information on national methodology and other Moldovan-specific metadata information.
| Indicator |
Indicator 2.2.2.b: Prevalence of wasting among children under 5 years old |
|---|---|
| Definition and concepts |
Children aged under 5 years old with weight for height lower by two standard deviations from median for the reference population, are considered to be with moderate or severe malnutrition, and those with an index smaller by three standard deviations from the median reference are considered to be with severe malnutrition. Malnutrition usually is the result of a recent dietary deficiency. The index may have significant season variations, depending on the availability of food products or disease prevalence. The indicator is estimated based on a standardized methodology using WHO Child Growth Standards. |
| Unit of measure |
Percent, % |
| Method of computation |
Number of children, aged under 5 years old, whose weight for the respective age is lower by two standard deviation from the median for the reference population, out of the total number of children under 5 years old * 100. |
| Comparability with global indicator |
For 2012, the indicator is based on data obtained from the nationally representative 2012 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS). Beginning in 2021, the indicator has been calculated at the national level using administrative data collected through approved statistical reporting forms, in accordance with the national methodology and the World Health Organization (WHO) Child Growth Standards. Due to the lack of information of the number of children under 5 years of age assessed anthropometrically, the average annual population of children under 5 years of age was used. The values obtained represent estimates based on the population of children under 5 years of age and may differ from the indicators calculated according to the standard methodology of the World Health Organization (WHO), which uses the number of children assessed anthropometrically as the denominator. |
| Periodicity |
Annual |
| Data last updated | Jul 17, 2026 |
| Metadata last updated | Jul 15, 2026 |