2.2.1 Prevalence of stunting among children under 5 in Zambia

Zambia: 2.2.1 Prevalence of stunting among children under 5 was 31.4 in 2022. ▼ Falling

Latest (2022)
31.4
Change on year
down 0.9%
World rank
23rd
of 159 countries
All-time high
51.8
in 2000
All-time low
31.4
in 2022
Years of data
23
2000–2022

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

02040602000201120222000: 51.82001: 51.62002: 51.32003: 50.72004: 50.12005: 49.42006: 48.62007: 47.62008: 46.52009: 45.22010: 43.72011: 42.22012: 40.82013: 39.62014: 38.62015: 37.62016: 36.62017: 35.42018: 34.22019: 33.22020: 32.32021: 31.72022: 31.4

Source: UNICEF.

Analysis

The most recent figure for 2.2.1 prevalence of stunting among children under 5 in Zambia is 31.4, measured in 2022. That is the lowest value across all 23 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.9% on the previous year and down 23.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, 2.2.1 prevalence of stunting among children under 5 in Zambia peaked at 51.8 in 2000 and was at its lowest, 31.4, in 2022.

That places Zambia 23rd out of 159 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the top 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 Zambia, year by year

Annual values for 2.2.1 Prevalence of stunting among children under 5 (%) in Zambia, 2000 to 2022.
Year Value Change
2000 51.8
2001 51.6 -0.4%
2002 51.3 -0.6%
2003 50.7 -1.2%
2004 50.1 -1.2%
2005 49.4 -1.4%
2006 48.6 -1.6%
2007 47.6 -2.1%
2008 46.5 -2.3%
2009 45.2 -2.8%
2010 43.7 -3.3%
2011 42.2 -3.4%
2012 40.8 -3.3%
2013 39.6 -2.9%
2014 38.6 -2.5%
2015 37.6 -2.6%
2016 36.6 -2.7%
2017 35.4 -3.3%
2018 34.2 -3.4%
2019 33.2 -2.9%
2020 32.3 -2.7%
2021 31.7 -1.9%
2022 31.4 -0.9%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 49.28 45.2 51.8 10
2010s 38.19 33.2 43.7 10
2020s 31.8 31.4 32.3 3

Countries ranked near Zambia

  1. 20 Chad 32.3 compare
  2. 21 Lesotho 31.8 compare
  3. 22 India 31.7 compare
  4. 23 Vanuatu 31.4 compare
  5. 25 Indonesia 31 compare
  6. 26 Tanzania, United Republic of 30.6 compare

See the full ranking of 159 places →

More health data for Zambia

All data for Zambia →

Frequently asked questions

What is 2.2.1 prevalence of stunting among children under 5 in Zambia?
2.2.1 prevalence of stunting among children under 5 in Zambia was 31.4 in 2022, according to UNICEF.
What is the highest 2.2.1 prevalence of stunting among children under 5 recorded in Zambia?
The highest recorded value was 51.8 in 2000.
What is the lowest 2.2.1 prevalence of stunting among children under 5 recorded in Zambia?
The lowest recorded value was 31.4 in 2022.
How does Zambia rank for 2.2.1 prevalence of stunting among children under 5?
Zambia ranks 23rd out of 159 countries with data for 2022.
Is 2.2.1 prevalence of stunting among children under 5 rising or falling in Zambia?
Over the last ten years it is down 23.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Zambia 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 Zambia. Statizoid, drawing on UNICEF. Retrieved 11 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/2-2-1-prevalence-of-stunting-among-children-under-5-percent/zambia/

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/zambia/">2.2.1 Prevalence of stunting among children under 5 in Zambia</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