Prevalence of stunting, height for age in Least developed countries
Least developed countries: Prevalence of stunting, height for age was 33.9% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Prevalence of stunting, height for age in Least developed countries, 2000–2024
Source: Joint child Malnutrition Estimates (JME), UN Children's Fund (UNICEF).
Analysis
The most recent figure for prevalence of stunting, height for age in Least developed countries is 33.9%, measured in 2024.
That represents a change of up 0.4% on the previous year and down 8.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of stunting, height for age in Least developed countries peaked at 48.8% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 33.5%, in 2021.
Least developed countries ranks 3rd of 45 groups on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.
Prevalence of stunting, height for age in Least developed countries, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 48.8% | — |
| 2001 | 48.1% | -1.3% |
| 2002 | 47.5% | -1.3% |
| 2003 | 46.8% | -1.5% |
| 2004 | 46.0% | -1.7% |
| 2005 | 45.2% | -1.7% |
| 2006 | 44.4% | -1.8% |
| 2007 | 43.5% | -2.1% |
| 2008 | 42.4% | -2.4% |
| 2009 | 41.4% | -2.5% |
| 2010 | 40.3% | -2.5% |
| 2011 | 39.3% | -2.5% |
| 2012 | 38.5% | -2.2% |
| 2013 | 37.8% | -1.9% |
| 2014 | 37.1% | -1.7% |
| 2015 | 36.5% | -1.6% |
| 2016 | 35.9% | -1.6% |
| 2017 | 35.3% | -1.8% |
| 2018 | 34.7% | -1.8% |
| 2019 | 34.1% | -1.7% |
| 2020 | 33.7% | -1.2% |
| 2021 | 33.5% | -0.5% |
| 2022 | 33.6% | +0.3% |
| 2023 | 33.7% | +0.3% |
| 2024 | 33.9% | +0.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 45.4% | 41.4% | 48.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 36.9% | 34.1% | 40.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 33.7% | 33.5% | 33.9% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Least developed countries
More health data for Least developed countries
- Population ages 35-39, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 40-44, male, annual growth rate 3.29 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 40-44, female, per capita 0.0255 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 40-44, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 40-44, female, annual growth rate 3.94 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 35-39, male, per capita 0.0286 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 35-39, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 35-39, male, annual growth rate 2.37 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 35-39, female, per capita 0.03 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 30-34, female, annual growth rate 3.32 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is prevalence of stunting, height for age in Least developed countries?
- Prevalence of stunting, height for age in Least developed countries was 33.9% 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 Least developed countries?
- The highest recorded value was 48.8% in 2000.
- What is the lowest prevalence of stunting, height for age recorded in Least developed countries?
- The lowest recorded value was 33.5% in 2021.
- How does Least developed countries rank for prevalence of stunting, height for age?
- Least developed countries ranks 3rd out of 45 groups with data for 2024.
- Is prevalence of stunting, height for age rising or falling in Least developed countries?
- Over the last ten years it is down 8.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Least developed countries 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.