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Data

Hidden Hunger Index in pre-school children

About this data

Source
Muthayya et al. (2013) – processed by Our World in Data
Last updated
July 24, 2017
Date range
2009–2009

Sources and processing

This data is based on the following sources

Muthayya et al. – The global hidden hunger indices and maps: an advocacy tool for action

The authors note: "Hidden Hunger Index (HHI-PD) for preschool-age children is calculated as the average of three deficiency prevalence estimates: preschool children affected by stunting, anemia due to iron deficiency, and vitamin-A deficiency. The three components were equally weighted (HHI-PD score = [stunting (%) + anemia (%) + low serum retinol (%)]/3).

The HHI-PD score ranged between the best and worst possible scores of 0 and 100, respectively. Applying arbitrary cut-offs, HHI-PD scores between 0 and 19.9 were considered mild, 20-34.9 as moderate, 35-44.9 as severe, and 45-100 as alarmingly high. Highly developed countries with a 2007 Human Development Index (HDI) score above 0.9 (n=41) were assumed to have a low prevalence of micronutrient deficiencies, and were therefore excluded from this analysis.

Data on micronutrient deficiencies used in this index relate to national-level analysis and surveys over the period 1999-2009.

Retrieved on
July 24, 2017
Retrieved from
http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0067860
Citation
This is the citation of the original data obtained from the source, prior to any processing or adaptation by Our World in Data. To cite data downloaded from this page, please use the suggested citation given in Reuse This Work below.
Muthayya, S., Rah, J. H., Sugimoto, J. D., Roos, F. F., Kraemer, K., & Black, R. E. (2013). The global hidden hunger indices and maps: an advocacy tool for action. PLoS One, 8(6).

The authors note: "Hidden Hunger Index (HHI-PD) for preschool-age children is calculated as the average of three deficiency prevalence estimates: preschool children affected by stunting, anemia due to iron deficiency, and vitamin-A deficiency. The three components were equally weighted (HHI-PD score = [stunting (%) + anemia (%) + low serum retinol (%)]/3).

The HHI-PD score ranged between the best and worst possible scores of 0 and 100, respectively. Applying arbitrary cut-offs, HHI-PD scores between 0 and 19.9 were considered mild, 20-34.9 as moderate, 35-44.9 as severe, and 45-100 as alarmingly high. Highly developed countries with a 2007 Human Development Index (HDI) score above 0.9 (n=41) were assumed to have a low prevalence of micronutrient deficiencies, and were therefore excluded from this analysis.

Data on micronutrient deficiencies used in this index relate to national-level analysis and surveys over the period 1999-2009.

Retrieved on
July 24, 2017
Retrieved from
http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0067860
Citation
This is the citation of the original data obtained from the source, prior to any processing or adaptation by Our World in Data. To cite data downloaded from this page, please use the suggested citation given in Reuse This Work below.
Muthayya, S., Rah, J. H., Sugimoto, J. D., Roos, F. F., Kraemer, K., & Black, R. E. (2013). The global hidden hunger indices and maps: an advocacy tool for action. PLoS One, 8(6).

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“Data Page: Hidden Hunger Index in pre-school children”. Our World in Data (2026). Data adapted from Muthayya et al.. Retrieved from https://archive.ourworldindata.org/20260511-092124/grapher/global-hidden-hunger-index-in-pre-school-children.html [online resource] (archived on May 11, 2026).

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In-line citationIf you have limited space (e.g. in data visualizations), you can use this abbreviated in-line citation:

Muthayya et al. (2013) – processed by Our World in Data

Full citation

Muthayya et al. (2013) – processed by Our World in Data. “Hidden Hunger Index in pre-school children” [dataset]. Muthayya et al., “The global hidden hunger indices and maps: an advocacy tool for action” [original data]. Retrieved May 11, 2026 from https://archive.ourworldindata.org/20260511-092124/grapher/global-hidden-hunger-index-in-pre-school-children.html (archived on May 11, 2026).

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