Prevalence of stunting, height for age in Vanuatu
Vanuatu: Prevalence of stunting, height for age was 31.0% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Prevalence of stunting, height for age in Vanuatu, 2000–2024
Source: Joint child Malnutrition Estimates (JME), UN Children's Fund (UNICEF).
Analysis
In 2024, prevalence of stunting, height for age in Vanuatu stood at 31.0%. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.
The figure is up 1.3% on the previous year and up 12.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of stunting, height for age in Vanuatu peaked at 31.0% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 24.0%, in 2000.
Vanuatu ranks 24th of 162 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 25 years of available data.
Prevalence of stunting, height for age in Vanuatu, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 24.0% | — |
| 2001 | 24.1% | +0.4% |
| 2002 | 24.4% | +1.2% |
| 2003 | 24.7% | +1.2% |
| 2004 | 25.1% | +1.6% |
| 2005 | 25.5% | +1.6% |
| 2006 | 25.9% | +1.6% |
| 2007 | 26.2% | +1.2% |
| 2008 | 26.4% | +0.8% |
| 2009 | 26.5% | +0.4% |
| 2010 | 26.6% | +0.4% |
| 2011 | 26.7% | +0.4% |
| 2012 | 26.9% | +0.7% |
| 2013 | 27.2% | +1.1% |
| 2014 | 27.6% | +1.5% |
| 2015 | 28.0% | +1.4% |
| 2016 | 28.3% | +1.1% |
| 2017 | 28.5% | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 28.7% | +0.7% |
| 2019 | 28.8% | +0.3% |
| 2020 | 29.1% | +1.0% |
| 2021 | 29.5% | +1.4% |
| 2022 | 30.1% | +2.0% |
| 2023 | 30.6% | +1.7% |
| 2024 | 31.0% | +1.3% |
Vanuatu compared with similar countries
- Vanuatu's 31.0% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 21.2%, 1.5× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Vanuatu's 31.0% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 16.0%, 1.9× the median. (27 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 25.3% | 24.0% | 26.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 27.7% | 26.6% | 28.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 30.1% | 29.1% | 31.0% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Vanuatu
- 21 India 32.9% compare
- 22 Zambia 32.3% compare
- 23 Chad 31.5% compare
- 25 Marshall Islands 30.0% compare
- 25 South Sudan 30.0% compare
- 27 Lao People's Democratic Republic 29.9% compare
- 27 Tanzania, United Republic of 29.9% compare
More health data for Vanuatu
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -2.22 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.8846 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 695.7 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 44 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 0.3888 % 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 0.0639 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 0.395 % 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 Vanuatu?
- Prevalence of stunting, height for age in Vanuatu was 31.0% 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 Vanuatu?
- The highest recorded value was 31.0% in 2024.
- What is the lowest prevalence of stunting, height for age recorded in Vanuatu?
- The lowest recorded value was 24.0% in 2000.
- How does Vanuatu rank for prevalence of stunting, height for age?
- Vanuatu ranks 24th out of 162 countries with data for 2024.
- Is prevalence of stunting, height for age rising or falling in Vanuatu?
- Over the last ten years it is up 12.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Vanuatu 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.