2.2.1 Prevalence of stunting among children under 5 in Australia

Australia: 2.2.1 Prevalence of stunting among children under 5 was 3.4 in 2022. ▲ Rising

Latest (2022)
3.4
Change on year
up 3.0%
World rank
143rd
of 159 countries
All-time high
3.4
in 2022
All-time low
0.9
in 2000
Years of data
23
2000–2022

2.2.1 Prevalence of stunting among children under 5 in Australia, 2000–2022

11.522.533.52000201120222000: 0.92001: 12002: 1.22003: 1.42004: 1.72005: 22006: 2.22007: 2.52008: 2.82009: 2.92010: 3.12011: 3.22012: 3.22013: 3.32014: 3.32015: 3.32016: 3.32017: 3.32018: 3.32019: 3.32020: 3.32021: 3.32022: 3.4

Source: UNICEF.

Analysis

Australia recorded 3.4 for 2.2.1 prevalence of stunting among children under 5 in 2022. That is the highest value across all 23 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 3.0% on the previous year and up 6.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, 2.2.1 prevalence of stunting among children under 5 in Australia peaked at 3.4 in 2022 and was at its lowest, 0.9, in 2000.

That places Australia 143rd out of 159 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 23 years of available data.

2.2.1 Prevalence of stunting among children under 5 in Australia, year by year

Annual values for 2.2.1 Prevalence of stunting among children under 5 (%) in Australia, 2000 to 2022.
Year Value Change
2000 0.9
2001 1 +11.1%
2002 1.2 +20.0%
2003 1.4 +16.7%
2004 1.7 +21.4%
2005 2 +17.6%
2006 2.2 +10.0%
2007 2.5 +13.6%
2008 2.8 +12.0%
2009 2.9 +3.6%
2010 3.1 +6.9%
2011 3.2 +3.2%
2012 3.2 +0.0%
2013 3.3 +3.1%
2014 3.3 +0.0%
2015 3.3 +0.0%
2016 3.3 +0.0%
2017 3.3 +0.0%
2018 3.3 +0.0%
2019 3.3 +0.0%
2020 3.3 +0.0%
2021 3.3 +0.0%
2022 3.4 +3.0%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 1.86 0.9 2.9 10
2010s 3.26 3.1 3.3 10
2020s 3.33 3.3 3.4 3

Countries ranked near Australia

  1. 140 North Macedonia 3.7 compare
  2. 141 Belarus 3.6 compare
  3. 141 United States of America 3.6 compare
  4. 143 Paraguay 3.4 compare
  5. 145 Portugal 3.1 compare
  6. 146 Singapore 3 compare

See the full ranking of 159 places →

More health data for Australia

All data for Australia →

Frequently asked questions

What is 2.2.1 prevalence of stunting among children under 5 in Australia?
2.2.1 prevalence of stunting among children under 5 in Australia was 3.4 in 2022, according to UNICEF.
What is the highest 2.2.1 prevalence of stunting among children under 5 recorded in Australia?
The highest recorded value was 3.4 in 2022.
What is the lowest 2.2.1 prevalence of stunting among children under 5 recorded in Australia?
The lowest recorded value was 0.9 in 2000.
How does Australia rank for 2.2.1 prevalence of stunting among children under 5?
Australia ranks 143rd out of 159 countries with data for 2022.
Is 2.2.1 prevalence of stunting among children under 5 rising or falling in Australia?
Over the last ten years it is up 6.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Australia data come from?
The figures come from UNICEF, published as part of 2.2.1 Prevalence of stunting among children under 5 (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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2.2.1 Prevalence of stunting among children under 5 in Australia. Statizoid, drawing on UNICEF. Retrieved 10 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/2-2-1-prevalence-of-stunting-among-children-under-5-percent/australia/

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About this data

Indicator
2.2.1 Prevalence of stunting among children under 5 (%)
Source
UNICEF
Licence
UNICEF Terms of Use (attribution required)
Coverage
159 places, 3,657 data points, 2000–2022
Last refreshed