2.2.1 Prevalence of stunting among children under 5 in China

China: 2.2.1 Prevalence of stunting among children under 5 was 4.6 in 2022. ▼ Falling

Latest (2022)
4.6
Change on year
down 6.1%
World rank
135th
of 159 countries
All-time high
19.9
in 2000
All-time low
4.6
in 2022
Years of data
23
2000–2022

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

51015202000201120222000: 19.92001: 18.42002: 172003: 15.62004: 14.32005: 13.22006: 12.22007: 11.32008: 10.52009: 9.72010: 8.92011: 8.12012: 7.62013: 7.12014: 6.72015: 6.52016: 6.22017: 5.92018: 5.72019: 5.42020: 5.12021: 4.92022: 4.6

Source: UNICEF.

Analysis

China recorded 4.6 for 2.2.1 prevalence of stunting among children under 5 in 2022. That is the lowest value across all 23 years on record.

The figure is down 6.1% on the previous year and down 39.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, 2.2.1 prevalence of stunting among children under 5 in China peaked at 19.9 in 2000 and was at its lowest, 4.6, in 2022.

That places China 135th out of 159 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the bottom quarter.

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

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

Annual values for 2.2.1 Prevalence of stunting among children under 5 (%) in China, 2000 to 2022.
Year Value Change
2000 19.9
2001 18.4 -7.5%
2002 17 -7.6%
2003 15.6 -8.2%
2004 14.3 -8.3%
2005 13.2 -7.7%
2006 12.2 -7.6%
2007 11.3 -7.4%
2008 10.5 -7.1%
2009 9.7 -7.6%
2010 8.9 -8.2%
2011 8.1 -9.0%
2012 7.6 -6.2%
2013 7.1 -6.6%
2014 6.7 -5.6%
2015 6.5 -3.0%
2016 6.2 -4.6%
2017 5.9 -4.8%
2018 5.7 -3.4%
2019 5.4 -5.3%
2020 5.1 -5.6%
2021 4.9 -3.9%
2022 4.6 -6.1%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 14.21 9.7 19.9 10
2010s 6.81 5.4 8.9 10
2020s 4.87 4.6 5.1 3

Countries ranked near China

  1. 132 Kazakhstan 4.9 compare
  2. 133 Georgia 4.8 compare
  3. 134 Iran, Islamic Republic of 4.7 compare
  4. 135 Serbia 4.6 compare
  5. 137 Lithuania 4.5 compare
  6. 138 Qatar 4.4 compare

See the full ranking of 159 places →

More health data for China

All data for China →

Frequently asked questions

What is 2.2.1 prevalence of stunting among children under 5 in China?
2.2.1 prevalence of stunting among children under 5 in China was 4.6 in 2022, according to UNICEF.
What is the highest 2.2.1 prevalence of stunting among children under 5 recorded in China?
The highest recorded value was 19.9 in 2000.
What is the lowest 2.2.1 prevalence of stunting among children under 5 recorded in China?
The lowest recorded value was 4.6 in 2022.
How does China rank for 2.2.1 prevalence of stunting among children under 5?
China ranks 135th out of 159 countries with data for 2022.
Is 2.2.1 prevalence of stunting among children under 5 rising or falling in China?
Over the last ten years it is down 39.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this China 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.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 23 observations, free to reuse under UNICEF Terms of Use (attribution required).

Share, cite or embed this page

Cite this page

2.2.1 Prevalence of stunting among children under 5 in China. Statizoid, drawing on UNICEF. Retrieved 09 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/2-2-1-prevalence-of-stunting-among-children-under-5-percent/china/

Embed or link this data

Paste this into a page to link back to these figures. The data itself is free to reuse under UNICEF Terms of Use (attribution required); please keep the attribution.

<a href="https://health.statizoid.com/stat/2-2-1-prevalence-of-stunting-among-children-under-5-percent/china/">2.2.1 Prevalence of stunting among children under 5 in China</a> — Statizoid

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