Prevalence of stunting, height for age, male in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia: Prevalence of stunting, height for age, male was 12.4% in 2024. ▬ Flat
Prevalence of stunting, height for age, male in Saudi Arabia, 2000–2024
Source: Joint child Malnutrition Estimates (JME), UN Children's Fund (UNICEF).
Analysis
Saudi Arabia recorded 12.4% for prevalence of stunting, height for age, male in 2024.
That represents a change of down 10.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of stunting, height for age, male in Saudi Arabia peaked at 14.1% in 2009 and was at its lowest, 12.3%, in 2000.
That places Saudi Arabia 84th out of 162 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
Prevalence of stunting, height for age, male in Saudi Arabia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 12.3% | — |
| 2001 | 12.3% | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 12.4% | +0.8% |
| 2003 | 12.6% | +1.6% |
| 2004 | 12.9% | +2.4% |
| 2005 | 13.2% | +2.3% |
| 2006 | 13.5% | +2.3% |
| 2007 | 13.8% | +2.2% |
| 2008 | 14.0% | +1.4% |
| 2009 | 14.1% | +0.7% |
| 2010 | 14.1% | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 14.0% | -0.7% |
| 2012 | 13.9% | -0.7% |
| 2013 | 13.9% | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 13.8% | -0.7% |
| 2015 | 13.7% | -0.7% |
| 2016 | 13.5% | -1.5% |
| 2017 | 13.3% | -1.5% |
| 2018 | 13.0% | -2.3% |
| 2019 | 12.8% | -1.5% |
| 2020 | 12.6% | -1.6% |
| 2021 | 12.5% | -0.8% |
| 2022 | 12.4% | -0.8% |
| 2023 | 12.4% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 12.4% | +0.0% |
Saudi Arabia compared with similar countries
- Saudi Arabia's 12.4% is above the median for high income countries, which is 3.9%, 3.2× the median. (37 countries reporting)
- Saudi Arabia's 12.4% is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 10.0%, 1.2× the median. (21 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 13.1% | 12.3% | 14.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 13.6% | 12.8% | 14.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 12.5% | 12.4% | 12.6% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Saudi Arabia
More health data for Saudi Arabia
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -0.8373 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.3736 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 483.6 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 829 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 1 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 5.31 % 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 0.0384 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 5.38 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is prevalence of stunting, height for age, male in Saudi Arabia?
- Prevalence of stunting, height for age, male in Saudi Arabia was 12.4% in 2024, according to Joint child Malnutrition Estimates (JME), UN Children's Fund (UNICEF).
- What is the highest prevalence of stunting, height for age, male recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The highest recorded value was 14.1% in 2009.
- What is the lowest prevalence of stunting, height for age, male recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The lowest recorded value was 12.3% in 2000.
- How does Saudi Arabia rank for prevalence of stunting, height for age, male?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 84th out of 162 countries with data for 2024.
- Is prevalence of stunting, height for age, male rising or falling in Saudi Arabia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 10.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Saudi Arabia data come from?
- The figures come from Joint child Malnutrition Estimates (JME), UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), published as part of Prevalence of stunting, height for age, male (modeled estimate, % of children under 5). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Prevalence of stunting, male, is the percentage of boys under age 5 whose height for age is more than two standard deviations below the median for the international reference population ages 0-59 months. For children up to two years old height is measured by recumbent length. For older children height is measured by stature while standing. The data are based on the WHO's 2006 Child Growth Standards.