Height-for-age <-2 SD (stunting) in India
India: Height-for-age <-2 SD (stunting) was 35.47 in 2020. ▼ Falling
Latest (2020)
35.47
Change on year
down 1.8%
World rank
14th
of 96 countries
All-time high
62.7
in 1989
All-time low
35.47
in 2020
Years of data
10
1989–2020
Height-for-age <-2 SD in India, 1989–2020
Source: UNICEF.
Analysis
In 2020, height-for-age <-2 sd in India stood at 35.47. That is the lowest value across all 10 years on record.
That represents a change of down 1.8% on the previous year and down 25.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, height-for-age <-2 sd in India peaked at 62.7 in 1989 and was at its lowest, 35.47, in 2020.
That places India 14th out of 96 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 10 years of available data.
Height-for-age <-2 SD (stunting) in India, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 62.7 | — |
| 1991 | 61.9 | -1.3% |
| 1992 | 57.11 | -7.7% |
| 1997 | 45.9 | -19.6% |
| 1999 | 50.99 | +11.1% |
| 2006 | 47.76 | -6.3% |
| 2014 | 38.7 | -19.0% |
| 2015 | 37.9 | -2.1% |
| 2017 | 36.12 | -4.7% |
| 2020 | 35.47 | -1.8% |
India compared with similar countries
- India's 35.47 is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 23.42, 1.5× the median. (37 countries reporting)
- India's 35.47 is above the median for South Asia, which is 20.73, 1.7× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 62.7 | 62.7 | 62.7 | 1 |
| 1990s | 53.97 | 45.9 | 61.9 | 4 |
| 2000s | 47.76 | 47.76 | 47.76 | 1 |
| 2010s | 37.57 | 36.12 | 38.7 | 3 |
| 2020s | 35.47 | 35.47 | 35.47 | 1 |
Countries ranked near India
More health data for India
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -2.12 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.4372 % change on previous year (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 44,822 (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 38 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -0.3809 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0372 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -0.5922 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per capita 0.04 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is height-for-age <-2 sd in India?
- Height-for-age <-2 sd in India was 35.47 in 2020, according to UNICEF.
- What is the highest height-for-age <-2 sd recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 62.7 in 1989.
- What is the lowest height-for-age <-2 sd recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 35.47 in 2020.
- How does India rank for height-for-age <-2 sd?
- India ranks 14th out of 96 countries with data for 2020.
- Is height-for-age <-2 sd rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is down 25.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this India data come from?
- The figures come from UNICEF, published as part of Height-for-age <-2 SD (stunting). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 10 observations, free to reuse under UNICEF Terms of Use (attribution required).