Prevalence of stunting, height for age in Jamaica
Jamaica: Prevalence of stunting, height for age was 6.9% in 2024. ▬ Flat
Prevalence of stunting, height for age in Jamaica, 2000–2024
Source: Joint child Malnutrition Estimates (JME), UN Children's Fund (UNICEF).
Analysis
Jamaica recorded 6.9% for prevalence of stunting, height for age in 2024.
The figure is up 1.5% on the previous year and up 9.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of stunting, height for age in Jamaica peaked at 7.2% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 6.1%, in 2009.
That places Jamaica 115th out of 162 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
Prevalence of stunting, height for age in Jamaica, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 7.2% | — |
| 2001 | 6.9% | -4.2% |
| 2002 | 6.6% | -4.3% |
| 2003 | 6.5% | -1.5% |
| 2004 | 6.4% | -1.5% |
| 2005 | 6.4% | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 6.3% | -1.6% |
| 2007 | 6.3% | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 6.2% | -1.6% |
| 2009 | 6.1% | -1.6% |
| 2010 | 6.1% | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 6.1% | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 6.1% | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 6.2% | +1.6% |
| 2014 | 6.3% | +1.6% |
| 2015 | 6.4% | +1.6% |
| 2016 | 6.4% | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 6.4% | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 6.4% | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 6.4% | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 6.4% | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 6.5% | +1.6% |
| 2022 | 6.6% | +1.5% |
| 2023 | 6.8% | +3.0% |
| 2024 | 6.9% | +1.5% |
Jamaica compared with similar countries
- Jamaica's 6.9% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 8.0%, 86% of the median. (54 countries reporting)
- Jamaica's 6.9% is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 9.4%, 73% of the median. (27 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 6.5% | 6.1% | 7.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.3% | 6.1% | 6.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.6% | 6.4% | 6.9% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Jamaica
- 112 Guyana 7.1% compare
- 112 Mongolia 7.1% compare
- 114 Romania 7.0% compare
- 116 Azerbaijan 6.8% compare
- 117 Uzbekistan 6.7% compare
- 118 Turkmenistan 6.5% compare
- 118 Uruguay 6.5% compare
More health data for Jamaica
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -3.12 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.3325 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 2,308 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 31 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -1.64 % 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 0.0278 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -1.6 % 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 in Jamaica?
- Prevalence of stunting, height for age in Jamaica was 6.9% in 2024, according to Joint child Malnutrition Estimates (JME), UN Children's Fund (UNICEF).
- What is the highest prevalence of stunting, height for age recorded in Jamaica?
- The highest recorded value was 7.2% in 2000.
- What is the lowest prevalence of stunting, height for age recorded in Jamaica?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.1% in 2009.
- How does Jamaica rank for prevalence of stunting, height for age?
- Jamaica ranks 115th out of 162 countries with data for 2024.
- Is prevalence of stunting, height for age rising or falling in Jamaica?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Jamaica 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 (modeled estimate, % of children under 5). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Prevalence of stunting is the percentage of children 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.